A 33‑year-old Fine Arts teacher, Godwin Onoyiwa, attached to Delta Career College, Warri in Delta State has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour by an Effurun High Court for raping a female student of the school.
Sentencing the teacher, Justice P. Onajite‑Kuejubola said the court found him guilty on a one-count charge of rape preferred against him.
The judge stated: “This act is a dastardly act that must be discouraged and it must not go unpunished. Male teachers whose parents entrust their wards in their care must desist from such act. I hereby sentence you to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour.”
Prosecution had, in proving its case, told the court that the offence was committed on September 23, 2008 after the usual extra lessons organised by the school for its students had closed for the day when the victim who was searching for her missing school bag was lured inside the teacher’s office. She was thereafter defiled by the randy teacher who overpowered her.
The rape victim (name withheld) in her evidence in chief told the court: “When I told him (teacher) that I was looking for my school bag, he asked me to wait in his office for him to get the keys to the classroom where my bag was. As I was waiting, he came and covered my mouth with his hands to prevent me from shouting and raped me. I even bit his hands.”