As part of its avowed commitment to protecting the girl child rights, BraveHeart Initiative (BHI), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has secured the conviction of 25 sex offenders out of the total 28 sexual assault cases currently being prosecuted in court in Edo State.

Recent amongst these convictions is the case of a 55-year-old Frederick Agbozuadu, male, who according to the police prosecutor deceitfully lured and sexually violated an 8-year-old female child at Egbigere Community, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.

The convict, Frederick Agbozuadu, was arraigned in court on December 19, 2019 in Suit No: MIG/32c/2019 and was sentenced to five years imprisonment without an option of fine on February 9, 2023 by Nosa Musoe, Chief Magistrate (Special Grade), Igarra Magistrate Court.

Agbozhadu was found guilty on a single count charge of defilement by the court, bringing to rest a four-year struggle for justice by the BraveHeart Initiative’s team.

It would be recalled that the BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI), is a youth-led, feminist non-governmental organization, promoting young people’s sexual reproductive health and advancing women’s rights in Nigeria. BHI is dedicated to responding to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and advocating for SGBV reforms.

Commenting on the judgment, the BHI Founder, Priscilla Usiobaifo, described the court decision as a well-deserved victory for the girl-child in Akoko Edo especially when considering the intrigues that characterised the case during trials.

She maintained that the court verdict is a succinct message of the zero-tolerance stance of the state government against sexual violations of children, hoping that the judgement would checkmate “the impunity of sexual predators and child molesters in Edo State”.

“Sexual predators and child molesters will no longer go unpunished in Edo State; we strongly encourage girls in rural communities to speak out against sex offenders to check this menace”, she said.

Usiobaifo disclosed that the incident was investigated by the state police command during the onset of COVID- 19 pandemic and the prosecution timeline was significantly elongated as a result of the COVID crisis.

According to her, the child’s parents became distressed by the prosecutorial logistics but remained resolute in their quest for justice, adding that the BHI was able to prosecute the case with the financial support from the Open Society Foundations-Africa (OSIWA-OSF) and the MacArthur Foundation.

“BraveHeart Initiative (BHI) began intervention in the case on December 10, 2019, facilitated the transfer of the case to SCIID on December 13, 2019.

“A total of thirty (30) court sittings were held at the Magistrate Court, Igarra – one sitting (1) in year 2019; six (6) in year 2020; twelve (12) in year 2021; nine (9) in year 2022; and two (2) in year 2023.

“With funding support from OSIWA-OSF, the BraveHeart Initiative’s team provided comprehensive services including PARALEGAL AID (Investigation, Prosecution, Court appearances), PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT (Counselling, Follow up visits), MEDICALS (Investigations, Examinations, Preventive Services and Treatment).

“BHI also rendered economic assistance to the survivor and her family as well as COVID–19 Relief fund.

“The designated caseworkers had to provide essential services to SGBV survivors and family whist navigating the uncertainties and health risks associated with the COVID pandemic”, she explained.

Also commenting on the case, Winifred Imoyera, BHI Supporter, congratulated the team for prosecuting the case to a reasonable end, noting that “Justice may be delayed but not denied.”

“Even though we would have preferred a graver/steeper punishment, we are nonetheless thankful that all the efforts on the case were not in vain”, Imoyera said