A Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, has sentenced a 34-year-old teacher, Pascal Ofomata, to 12 years in prison for sexually abusing an 11-year-old Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS1) student.
Ofomata, who taught at St Christopher’s Junior Seminary, 3-3 Onitsha, was found guilty of rape, physical harm, and sexual abuse. He was tried under multiple sections of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and the Child’s Right Law of Anambra State.
Despite pleading not guilty to the three-count charge, Ofomata made damning admissions in his police statement, including that he had “sucked the boy’s penis” and “told him to kiss him.” He, however, denied penetrating the boy’s anus.
After thorough investigation and testimonies from both the police and a medical doctor, the court found the prosecution’s case solid and convincing. The presiding judge, Justice Peace Otti, sentenced Ofomata to 12 years imprisonment and banned him from working in any environment involving individuals under the age of 18—covering primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions.
Justice Otti also praised the lead prosecutor, Chinelo Akorah of the Anambra State Ministry of Justice, for her detailed and compelling final address.
“It’s also an opportunity to create the awareness that boys can be victims of sexual violence,” said Anambra’s Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, who welcomed the ruling. She commended the state’s justice system for delivering what she called a rare but necessary verdict for the protection of the boy-child.
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