The Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting at the High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, to a total of 35 years in prison for raping a 10-year-old girl, sexually abusing her and inflicting physical injuries on her.

Edem was sentenced to 25 years for rape, five years for sexual abuse and another five years for inflicting physical injury.

Justice Peace Otti delivered the judgment on Wednesday in Charge No. A/3C/2024, The State v. Wisdom Edem.

The three-count charge included rape, contrary to Section 34(2) of the Child’s Rights Law of Anambra State, 2004, and inflicting physical injury, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Anambra State, 2017.

The prosecution, led by the Principal State Counsel of the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, Chinelo Akorah, called six witnesses and tendered several pieces of evidence, including the defendant’s confessional statement and the victim’s medical report.

According to the charge sheet, the 10-year-old victim told the court that Edem deceived her into coming to his house under the pretext of participating in a comedy skit.

The victim said she had previously acted in skits with Edem and others, so she went to his house accompanied by her younger sister.

On arrival, Edem reportedly sent the younger sister home to get a change of clothes for the victim and subsequently asked the girl to enter his room, claiming that other people were waiting there.

However, the victim said she found no one in the room. Edem allegedly locked the door, raped her and caused her to bleed.

A medical doctor who examined the victim on the same day testified in court and confirmed that she had sustained bleeding and injuries.

In his defence, Edem denied wrongdoing and claimed that the girl had seduced him. He alleged that she removed his clothes, inserted his penis into her vagina and screamed. He further claimed that she told him she was 14 years old and had a boyfriend.

The court rejected the defence, holding that a child is incapable of giving consent to sexual activity under the law.

Justice Otti also described the offence as premeditated and carefully planned.

The judge noted that Edem had not even paid the child for the purported comedy skit, adding that he had instead exploited the situation to sexually abuse her.

The court held that the victim’s testimony was fully corroborated by the defendant’s confessional statement, which admitted that she came to his house with her younger sister.

The prosecution’s case was further strengthened by the testimonies of PW2 to PW6, including the police officer and vigilante member who participated in the defendant’s arrest.

Although Edem had been on bail and was present throughout the trial, he was absent when the judgment was delivered.

The court, relying on the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, proceeded to deliver judgment in his absence.

Justice Otti subsequently issued a bench warrant for his arrest and ordered that he be declared wanted, with his photographs circulated to the police and published on the internet.

The court held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through the victim’s testimony, corroborating evidence and the defendant’s own confessional statement.

The judge also directed Edem’s university not to issue him a certificate until he completes his prison sentence.

In addition, the court ordered him to pay a fine of N200,000 as compensation to the victim for the physical injuries inflicted on her.

The Principal State Counsel and the Publicity Secretary of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) were commended for their efforts in securing the conviction.

The judgment reinforces Anambra State’s stated zero-tolerance policy towards sexual and gender-based violence and its commitment to ensuring that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.

Anambra State has received a new Commissioner of Police, CP Nanna Oji Ama, following a nationwide reshuffle of senior police officers approved by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu.
The deployment comes after the Police Service Commission approved the appointment of eight Commissioners of Police to fill vacancies created by recent promotions and strengthen policing across affected state commands.
Under the new postings, CP Afolabi Wilfred Olutokunbo was assigned to Abia State, CP Ayodeji Faniyan to Plateau, CP Saka Adewale Ajao to Bayelsa, CP Ajo Geofrey Ordue to Cross River, CP Nanna Oji Ama to Anambra, CP Patrick Daaor to Edo, CP Tani Murtala to Jigawa, and CP Samuel Erale to Delta State.
The Police Service Commission also approved the appointment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Auwal Mohammed as the new Commandant of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.
In addition, the IGP redeployed several senior officers to strategic formations and departments. CP Yemi John Oyeniyi was posted as Commissioner of Police in charge of Intelligence and Training at the Force Intelligence Department, Abuja, while CP Charles Ezekwesiri Dike was assigned to head INTERPOL at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.
Also, CP Aina Adesola was deployed to oversee the Department of Finance and Administration and the Department of Training and Development at Force Headquarters, Abuja. CP Uduak Ita Otu was posted to the FCID Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, as Commissioner of Police in charge of Anti-Human Trafficking.
Similarly, CP Abdullateef Ajape Yusuf was assigned to head General Investigation at the FCID, Abuja, while CP Taiwo A. Adedeji will lead the Counter Terrorism Unit at Force Headquarters. CP Ajayi Oluyemi was deployed as Commissioner of Police in charge of Anti-Human Trafficking at the FCID, Abuja, and CP Bolanle Aremu was posted to the Department of Finance and Administration at Force Headquarters.
Other senior officers were also deployed to the Police Staff College, Jos, the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, and other strategic police formations nationwide.

A 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, popularly known as “Amazon,” was on Thursday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos over allegations of hacking into the server of Suntrust Bank Plc and fraudulently diverting more than N800 million into multiple bank accounts.

Eze was arraigned before Justice Friday Ogazi by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The prosecution counsel, M. Bajela, told the court that the defendant, alongside others still at large, allegedly conspired between 2023 and 2026 to unlawfully interfere with the bank’s computer system, resulting in the diversion of over N800 million belonging to Suntrust Bank.

The DSS further alleged that Eze concealed and transferred proceeds linked to the cyberattacks on financial institutions and unlawfully gained access to critical national financial information infrastructure.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravene Sections 5, 6(1) and 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024, as well as Sections 10, 20 and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following the plea, Bajela urged the court to fix a trial date and remand the defendant pending the determination of the case.

Defence counsel, E. Afrogha, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed, noting that Eze had been in DSS custody for more than a month.

The prosecutor, however, said he had not yet been served with the bail application and added that the prosecution was ready to proceed with its witnesses.

After hearing both parties, Justice Ogazi adjourned the case until August 24 for the hearing of the bail application. The judge also ordered that Eze be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the hearing and determination of his bail request.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Ugochukwu Eze, alias ‘Amazon’, sometime between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos and other places within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, unlawfully hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system and, in the process, fraudulently diverted over N800 million belonging to the bank.”

The prosecution said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024.

By Chinedu Sabastine

ENUGU — The Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AfAW) has called on traditional rulers, Presidents-General and other community leaders to end violence and human rights abuses against persons accused of witchcraft in their communities.

The Convener of AfAW, Dr. Leo Igwe, made the call on Thursday in Enugu during a press briefing ahead of the 2026 World Day Against Witch Hunts, scheduled for August 10.

Speaking on this year’s theme, “Chiefs and Ending Witch Hunts in Communities,” Igwe said the campaign seeks to highlight the critical role of traditional rulers and community leaders in combating witchcraft-related violence.

He alleged that some chiefs and community leaders fuel witch hunts by encouraging or condoning assaults, public humiliation, banishment and other forms of abuse against people labelled as witches.

Igwe urged traditional institutions to desist from actions that promote witchcraft accusations, stressing that many victims are elderly people living with dementia or adherents of traditional religions who are wrongly branded as witches.

He noted that countries such as Scotland have abolished laws and practices that encouraged the persecution of alleged witches, urging Nigerian communities, particularly in the South-East, to embrace similar human rights standards.

“AfAW urges chiefs to take urgent measures to end abuses linked to witchcraft beliefs and ritual attacks in their communities. This call aligns with the 2021 United Nations resolution urging states to combat human rights violations committed in the name of witchcraft beliefs or ritual practices,” he said.

According to Igwe, the month of August is dedicated to raising awareness of abuses arising from witchcraft accusations and promoting measures to end them.

He said AfAW, established in 2020, is spearheading a decade-long campaign running from 2020 to 2030 to eradicate witch hunts across Africa.

Igwe maintained that traditional rulers play a pivotal role in either sustaining or ending witch persecution.

“In many communities, chiefs preside over witch trials, banishments and other forms of persecution. Some condone jungle justice and regard witch hunting as part of tradition rather than a violation of human rights,” he alleged.

He called on traditional rulers to become advocates against witch persecution, insisting that witch hunting is unconstitutional and cannot be justified under the guise of culture or tradition.

“All chiefs should become agents of positive and progressive change by helping to eradicate witch persecution and other abuses linked to witchcraft accusations in communities across Nigeria and Africa,” he added.

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a female native doctor in connection with the mysterious death of three children in Ideani Community, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said efforts to save the children were unsuccessful, except for one child who survived and is currently receiving treatment. He noted that investigators are hopeful the survivor’s account will provide crucial information to aid the ongoing investigation.

According to Ikenga, the Command received a report on August 5, 2026, about four unconscious children found at a residential premises in Umuoduba Village, Ideani.

“The Anambra State Police Command, today, 5th August 2026, expressed profound sadness over the discovery of four unconscious children at a residential premises in Umuoduba Village, Ideani, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State,” he said.

He explained that a rescue team led by police operatives attached to the Ogidi Police Station immediately rushed the victims to a hospital for emergency medical treatment.

“Regrettably, three of the children were certified dead by medical doctors, while the fourth victim is currently receiving treatment in a critical condition,” Ikenga stated.

He disclosed that a female suspect is currently in police custody in connection with the incident, adding that the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) has taken over the case for a thorough, professional, intelligence-driven, and evidence-based investigation.

The police spokesperson further expressed optimism that, subject to the survivor’s recovery and medical clearance, the child’s testimony would help unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident and support further investigative efforts. He added that the bodies of the deceased have been deposited in a mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

While extending condolences to the bereaved families and sympathizing with the people of Ideani Community, the Police Command urged members of the public to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and allow investigators to conclude their work.