Tobias Sylvester
Ekiti State Government has proposed life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of rape in the state.
In addition to the life imprisonment, some lawmakers are also proposing castration of any adult who raped minors in the state.
The Executive Bill is entitled: A Bill for a Law to Repeal the Ekiti Gender-Based Violence, (Prohibition) Law, 2011 and enact the Ekiti Gender-Based Violence, (Prohibition) Bill, 2019.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), The bill was deliberated on by members of the Ekiti House of Assembly at Thursday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Funminiyi Afuye.
Contributors during debate who included, the Speaker, Funminiyi Afuye, Mr Gboyega Aribisogan, the Majority Leader and Mrs Teju Okunyiga,(Gbonyin Constituency) lauded the bills.
They said the existing law seems to be lenient as it stipulates seven years in prison for rapists. They called for more stringent punishment for offenders.
Some of the contributors like Okunyiga, the deputy Speaker, Alhaji Hakeem Jamiu and Mrs Yemisi Ayokunle in addition to the life imprisonment, proposed castration of any adult who raped minors in Ekiti.
They called for the speedy passage of the new bill which was later committed to the House Committee on Health and Human Services as well as the Committee on Judiciary for legislative scrutiny. (NAN)
