Lagos State government yesterday faulted the
Sexual Violence Offences Bill 2014, saying
provisions of the bill ‘trivialises sexual assault
against Nigerian children and would encourage
the crime instead of reducing it.
Briefing journalists at the state secretariat,
Alausa, Ikeja, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, said the bill seeks to
introduce a strange defence based on the
innocent act of a child (referred to as deceit) and
belief of the perpetrator that a child is above 18
years when he commits the act of defiling a
child.
He also faulted Section 10 (5) of the bill, which
provides for the sum of N20,000 for the offence of
indecent assault, saying no amount can ever be
sufficient for the victim.
This, Lawal said, would serve as a shield for
perpetrators to escape justice, adding that there
should be no excuse for anyone to assault, defile
or rape a child under the guise of ignorance or
deceit.
The state government, which faulted the bill
under the aegis of the Lagos State Domestic and
Sexual Violence Response Team, described the
Sexual Offences Bill 2014 as offensive, obnoxious,
inconsistent and likely to increase incidences of
sexual abuse in Nigeria.
According to him, the provisions of the bill are
apparently inconsistent with the interest and
welfare of children and contradicts the Child’s
Right Act.
Pedro said: “Section 7(5) of the proposed bill
provides that: ‘It is a defence to a charge of
defilement of children under the section if (a) It is
proved that such a child deceived the accused
person into believing that he or she was over the
age of 18 years at the time of alleged
commission of the offence: and; (b) The accused
person reasonably believed that the child was
over the age of 18 years.
“Section 1 of the Act stipulates that in every
action concerning a child, whether undertaken by
an individual, public or private body, institutions
or service, court of law or administrative or
legislative authority, the best interest of the child
shall be the primary consideration.”
Pedro, who is also a solicitor- general explained
that the paramount objective of the Child’s Right
Act is to promote, protect and uphold the rights
of every Nigerian child irrespective of age, adding
that a person below 18 years old is a child under
our legal system and therefore most times
exempted from liability on the ground that these
persons may not understand the nature/
consequences of their act.
He therefore argued that there should be no
statutory defence for sexual offence against a
child on the ground of purported deceit by the
child and belief of the offender that the child was
above 18 years, suggesting that the defence on
the age should be completely expunged from the
bill.
Pedro, who also picked hole in the introduction of
gang rape and joint trial of the perpetrators in
the bill, said the idea would be problematic at
the prosecution stage, adding that separate trial
of sexual offenders is the generally stipulated rule
except as provided in section 155.


source: paradigm newspapers

Sai ambode

d

That bill should be in the waste bin and PMB should never assent to it because the child is exposed to sexual assault and NEVER protected in it.

The fine is even the biggest joke

When the likes of paedophile Yerima constitute the National Assembly, what do you expect?!

They now make the "laws" to suit their "evil desire"!!

i am tired. tired!!!! today you hear a bill is passed and you rejoice tomorrow you hear it is marred by selfish interests i am tired!!!