Mrs. Yinka Adeyemi, the  Director of the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), on Tuesday, said that courts in Lagos delivered 122 judgments on sexual offenses cases from January 2020  to July 2020.

The Newsmen reports that Adeyemi disclosed this at a virtual conference organized by the Directorate of Citizens Rights, Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

The theme of the webinar is:  “The Crime of Defilement; The Role of Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers in Ending the Scourge.

She said, “There are 981 awaiting trial inmates for sexual offenses at the Correctional Centres in Lagos.  Also, 586 of these inmates (60 percent) are in custody for cases of defilement.

“Also, 207 of these inmates (21 percent) are being held for cases of rape while 188 inmates (19 percent) are in custody for other sexual offenses.

“The judgments that have been obtained in Lagos State from January 2020  to July 2020  for sexual offenses are 122.”

The DPP said as part of strategies created to combat the scourge of defilement and sexual offenses in Lagos, a specialized prosecutor unit had been established in the state’s Ministry of Justice to handle sexual offenses matters.

“There is ongoing training of prosecutors in prosecuting sexual offenses,  and protocols have been developed for the prosecution of these cases.

“We are working closely with experts on how to conduct forensic interviews with vulnerable witnesses, working with the police in evidence gathering and there has been a collaboration with the DNA Centre,” she said.

Adeyemi, however, said that various challenges were often encountered in the prosecution of sexual offenses.

She said that they include: witnesses refusing to come forward to give evidence due to fear of the aggressor and pressure from the community and victims settling out of court with the perpetrators.

The DPP also warned parents and guardians of victims of rape and defilement to stop withdrawing complaints from court or law enforcement agencies.

She said that any attempt to withdraw such cases would lead to a perversion of justice, which is also an offense against the state.

Also, the Dean Faculty of Law, the University of Lagos, Prof. Ayodele Atsenuwa, advised parents to always have open discussions on sexual health education with their children.

 

Atsenuwa urged parents to also embrace cultural reorientation supportive of nurturing children to be assertive.

The don said, “Teachers should know the facts, unlearn the myths and develop the skills. Myths such as that all homes are safe havens are not real; many children had been abused in their homes and schools.

“The truth is that sexual abuse affects kids of all races, religions, socioeconomic levels, and ages.

 

“Teachers should equip themselves with the necessary skills to recognize when a child is being sexually abused and how to respond to it.”

 

Atsenuwa said that the government has a duty to educate the public, to adopt measures to protect teachers and others who report the crime, and to provide adequate medical and psycho-social support for victims.

In his address of welcome, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), the  Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice said that in spite of various measures and facilities put in place to curb sexual offenses in Lagos, reports of the sexual crimes have been on a steady increase.

Onigbanjo said that the virtual conference was to enable various stakeholders to educate themselves and strategize on how to curb the menace of sexual crimes in the state.