By Abimbola Ogunnaike
A Prophet, Anwana Peter Essien, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison by the Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Okoita, Ibiono, Ibom LGA for raping his 10-year-old stepdaughter.
In his judgment, Presiding Judge, Justice Okon Okon held that the confession was, “direct, positive and unequivocal that the randy stepfather had sexual intercourse with his stepdaughter.’’
Justice Okon found Essien guilty as charged and accordingly convicted him, adding that the 21 years imprisonment is with effect from when he was taken into custody at the Custodial Centre in Uyo.
The prosecutor said the prophet, 37, an indigene of Afaha Ise in Ibiono Ibom, raped his JSS 1 stepdaughter on August 9, 2019, when the victim and her younger sister visited him in Uyo during holiday.
The convict, according to the prosecutor, had confessed during his evidence, that a demon ‘pushed’ him in the midnight to forcefully undress the victim and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.
“I know the victim of this case. She is my wife’s daughter. In the month of August, 2019, she came to my house at Itiam Street, Uyo. I gave her food and she ate it, then after eating, I told her to remove her clothes but she refused,” Essien said.
“I forced her to remove her clothes and had carnal knowledge of her. When I was having sex with her, I did not use any condom,” the convict added.
