A Delta State High Court sitting in Orerokpe has sentenced 55-year-old Collins Ika to 60 years’ imprisonment for repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl entrusted to his care in Ugolo community, Okpe Local Government Area.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Joe Egwu also ordered the convict to pay ₦50 million as compensation to the victim.
The court further directed that ₦111,000 brought by the defendant in a bid to secretly settle the case be forfeited to the Delta State Government, after it was established that the attempt was made without the knowledge of the complainant, the police, or a human rights advocate.
The prosecution, led by Miss Phoebian Onomakpome of the state Ministry of Justice, told the court that the victim testified the defendant repeatedly had unlawful carnal knowledge of her between 2021 and 2022 and threatened to kill her if she spoke out.
Her mother also testified that she had left the girl and her siblings in the care of the defendant, their neighbour, during her absence.
The abuse eventually came to light after the child complained of persistent waist pain and later disclosed the ordeal. Following a report to the police, the suspect fled the community but was later apprehended in a sting operation facilitated by a human rights activist.
According to prosecutors, the defendant was lured to a meeting under the pretext of discussing settlement and arrested when he arrived with ₦111,000 allegedly intended to hush the case.
During the trial, the defendant denied the allegations and called only his wife as a witness.
In his ruling, Justice Egwu held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and said the sentence should serve as a strong deterrent to sexual offenders.
In a related development, a Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti had in 2025 sentenced Olamilekan Ajewole, 33, to life imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old girl, underscoring growing judicial resolve to punish sexual violence against minors.
