How father of five-year old alleged defilement victim wey go 'settle' wit suspect land for prison

One family court for Rivers State don order di remand of di father of one five-year-old girl, wey dem allegedly defile to di Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre for alleged conspiracy.

Justice Rita Oguguo remand di victim father after e appear for open court through im lawyer to inform di court say e don reach settlement with di suspect and seek to discontinue di case.

Di suspect wey allegedly defile di girl dey stand trial on a one count charge after e dey accused of unlawfully having sexual intercourse with a five year old girl on 11 April, 2025, for Odagwa community for Etche Local Govment Area of Rivers State, and e plead not guilty to di charge.

Di application to withdraw di case no go down well with di Family Court and di presiding judge, Justice Rita Oguguo, suspect say di father of di five-year-old victim fit don conspire with di accused through a financial settlement, without considering di future and wellbeing of di child.

Justice Oguguo come give order for di father of di victim to dey remanded in prison custody till di next hearing wia e go come explain di nature of di alleged settlement in such a serious case as di offence contravene Section 32, subsections 1 and 2 of di Rivers State Child Rights Law No. 6 of 2002.

‘To collect settlement money na offense ’

“Any pesin wey try to settle a criminal case out of court fit dey arrested and charged for helping to hide a crime."

Na so Adata Bio-Briggs, di former chairperson of di International Federation of Women Lawyers FIDA Rivers State tok.

She note say dis no be first time wey some family members dey go back go settle such cases out of court as many times, such actions don frustrate di successful prosecution of such defilement cases.

She say parents wey dey go collect money from such offenders dey actually commit crime too.

"If a nominal complainant go behind to begin to settle offenses like dis, dat pesin fit dey arrested and prosecuted alongside di offender too.

Wen di mata dey family court - as in both di victim, offender and family dey court, na di court na im go give any form of restorative justice. Dem no suppose do such outside di court.

If di offender say e dey guilty and e wan do restitution to see how e fit help calm di harm e don do, na di court go decide on di settlement. You no go fit go back go collect money den come court say you wan withdraw di mata, no you no go fit withdraw di mata from court becos na crime against di State, no just against di pikin.”

Bio-Briggs note say di family court na di only court dem fit tok about restorative justice and add say, "under di Child Rights Act, dat pikin also dey entitled to compensation."

Adata Bio-Briggs come tell families wey dey face similar situation to trust di court system to give dem justice and not to go behind go collect money in di name of settlement.

"No go settle for crumbs becos di victim you dey settle for need to get dat satisfaction say e don get justice and im mata dey settled properly, not just di parents/guardians.”

“Make dem allow di court give dem justice so dat di victim no go feel abandoned or feel say di family don sell out. Allow di court do wetin e suppose do and go di full route, dat way justice go dey served for all di parties wey dey involved." She tok.

Di Child rights advocate say if found guilty, such family member wey go back go collect settlement wey court no approve don commit offense wey be accessory after di fact and e fit face di same punishment as di offender.