By Nuel Suji, Abuja.
The Senate on Wednesday approved a bill into law that prescribed life imprisonment for sexual offences which includes rape, child sex tourism and people who deliberately infect others with HIV/AIDS.
The passage of the bill into law also prescribes life imprisonment for gang rape, 10 years for incest, another 10 years imprisonment or more for child pornography and a fine of two million Naira.
The bill which was sponsored by Chairman of the Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, is expected to pass concurrence in the House of Representatives on Thursday.
Also, for sexual offences, offenders will go to jail for 14 years.
Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Umaru Dahiru, said the Bill seeks to redefine and consolidate existing laws on sexual offences.
After the passage of the bill into ,Senator Anyanwu, who expressed happiness on the passage of the Bill which has been pending in the Senate since 2013, said the Sexual Offences law “seeks to make a comprehensive legislation on sexual offences by criminalising certain acts such as sexual tourism, child pornography and cultural and religious sexual offences in our criminal jurisprudence.
“The new also provides for effective witness protection programme in order to protect victims and witnesses in trial for sexual offences. It also provides for compulsory documentation, supervision of sexual offenders and medical treatment for victims which is in line with the global trend and finally, and most importantly, it provides for adequate and stringent punishments to perpetrators.”
