Rapists to face life imprisonment, as Kogi Assembly passes VAPP bill into law

The Kogi State House of Assembly has passed into the law the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill.

The bill which proffer life imprisonment for rapists in the state also said any one who aide rape will also face the same jail term as the offender.

Our Kogi State Correspondent, reports that the passage of the bill was sequel to the report of the House Joint Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and Judiciary in which the lawmaker formed a committee of whole to look into the bill clause by clause.

It was gathered that the bill was sponsored by an NGO Challenged Parenthood Initiative, CPI.

Speaking on the passage of the bill, the speaker of the house Prince Mathew Kolawole described rape as a grievous offence that should be condemned in its entity.

"The passage of this bill and its assent by his excellency will send a strong warning to any one who intend to perpetuate this ungodly act" he stated.

Reacting to the passage of the bill, the Executive Director Challenged Parenthood Initiative, (CPI), Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, in a statement on Monday evening said, "When we challenge status co and stereotypes we achieve results.

"There couldn't be a more appropriate theme for 2021 international women's day " I Choose To challenge". We have chosen to challenge the Kogi State Government and Members of the Kogi State House of Assembly on the VAPP BILL. And we are happy that they've listened and have done the needful.

"Kogi State is our Dear State hence we must put in place all necessary policies and laws to protect it's citizen. We are concerned about all persons safety in Kogi State as well as Sexual Gender Based Violence Against our Women and our Girls.

"With this new development of the passage of the Bill, I believe perpetrators will think twice before committing any crime. We await His Excellency, our Gender Sensitive Governor to assent the VAPP BILL into Law. Today the narrative has been changed. Kogi State will no longer be on Red on the map of states that have not passed their bill".

It could be recalled that the bill scale through the first reading on 3rd December 2019, and second reading on 19th February 2020.

It is on record that states like Kaduna, Anambra, Ekiti, Rivers, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have since signed into law the VAPP act and are currently implementing it.

Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly has confirmed Hon. Justice Sunday Omeiza Otu as the substantive Chief Judge of Kogi State.

His confirmation was done at the floor of the house on Monday were the lawmakers asked him to take a bow and go.

However, Justice Otu is expected to retire from service later this week.

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