A 41-year-old man Baridapsi Needem has been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for raping and impregnating his 14-year-old daughter, as the DNA results revealed 99.99 positive that the convict is the father of a baby girl which his daughter put to birth.
Penpushing reports that the prosecuting counsel, Pere Egbuson, a Deputy Director in the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice, had earlier told the court that investigations revealed that the convict began raping his daughter when she was seven.
The lawyer added that the convict started by inserting his fingers into the survivor’s vagina and later followed up with having sex with her in 2020, and impregnated her in 2022, while the survivor gave birth to a baby girl while the matter was pending in court.
Penpushing further reports that, the judge, Justice D.E. Adokeme, satisfied with the evidence held that the prosecution had credible evidence and referenced the DNA result, which revealed a 99.99 per cent positive that the convict was the father of the baby girl that his daughter gave birth to.
The judge emphasized that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that the biological father of the girl committed the offence and, therefore, sentenced him to 17 years imprisonment, adding that the verdict will serve as a deterrent to others who engage in such acts.
Penpushing also reports that the judge added that the court has sent a strong message that it will not tolerate such acts, and commended the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, for his immense support in ensuring that the DNA analysis was carried out to aid the prosecution in pursuit of justice in the case.
The members of Gender Advocacy group – Gender Response Initiative Team, it is recalled reported the convict to the police in 2022 after a concerned neighbour noticed that the survivor was five months pregnant amidst suspicion that the father, who hails from Ogani Wily Kaira Community in Ogoni in Rivers State was responsible for the pregnancy.
Penpushing reports that the convict reportedly replaced his deceased wife with his 14-year-old daughter who was in JSS3 and was sleeping with her on his matrimonial bed while her two younger brothers were made to sleep on the floor.
FOOTNOTE: You want to share story with us? You want to advertise with us? You need publicity for product, or service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348073463653 or email penpushing@yahoo.com
