Ambode promises to deal with sex offenders, others

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Thursday led a walk against sexual and gender –based violence, vowing that his administration would ensure that all perpetrators of sexual crimes face the wrath of the law.

The members of the Lagos State Executive Council, members of the Sttate House of Assembly and entertainers, among others, joined in the walk, which started from the Ikeja under bridge area through Awolowo Way to the Lagos House, Alausa.

The governor, who displayed a placard with the inscription ‘Stop Rape, Domestic Violence, Child Abuse’, said men must take a stand by tackling the menace of gender-based crimes in the society.

He said, “Women are mostly the victims of sexual and gender-based violence and there is an evident trend of suppressing the voice of these victims due to the fact that these acts are perpetrated largely by men.

“We should not take for granted the effect of having emotionally and psychologically damaged women in our society, which could transcend to our children.”

Ambode said the government had initiated several programmes to assist the victims, adding that it was also pertinent to address the violent behaviour of men.

He said, “We firmly believe that the way forward is to continuously engage the men, as well as the community as a whole, to prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence.”

Ambode urged the participants in the walk to remain ambassadors in the fight against domestic and sexual violence.

“The conversation must be sustained in our workplaces, religious institutions, residential areas and the social media. If we all join hands, we can truly make Lagos uncomfortable for perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence,” he added.

The governor also commended the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, organisers of the walk, just as he said his administration would do more to ensure that the rights of the vulnerable in the state were adequately protected.
SOURCE: Punchng

Franca Asemota Sentenced To 22 Years In Prison For Trafficking Girls From Nigeria To Europe For Prostitution

In March 2015, Franca Asemota, was arrested by the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) on the suspicion of money laundering offenses.

It was found that she is wanted in the UK by the National Crime Agency of the UK on charges of child trafficking

She is accused of organizing a thick network that transports young girls, especially teenagers, from villages in Nigeria and sending them to Europe via London. The innocent kids are lured by promises of a better life, jobs and education but are forced to sell their bodies for money when they get into these countries

The judge ordered that Franca Asemota be extradited to the United Kingdom to face trial for the charges filed against her.

The 38-year-old has now been convicted on 3rd August at Isleworth Crown Court of eight counts of conspiracy to traffic persons for sexual exploitation, two counts of trafficking persons outside of the UK for sexual exploitation and two counts of assisting unlawful immigration.

Evidence showed that she facilitated the trafficking of around 40 people, mainly young girls, between August 2011 and May 2012.

She has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.

SOURCE: Womanng

Senate Raises Alarm Over Rising Cases Of Child Abuse

The Upper Chamber made these resolution after a federal lawmaker, Senator Oluremi Tinubu raised a motion on the 2016 Children’s Day celebration.

Senator Tinubu had raised an alarm at the rising cases of violence against children in Nigeria.

She presented from the newspapers, the case of an 18-month-old boy who was allegedly attacked by his step-mothers and was left with broken limbs and injuries to his private parts.

She described the incident as disheartening and emphasized the need to ensure that the Senate enacts more laws to protect children and take all necessary steps to bring such violence to an end.

The Senate has also appealed to the Federal Government to ensure the rescue of the Chibok girls who are currently in the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents.

They also asked the joint committees on Women Affairs and Health, to visit Internally Displaced Persons’ camps and celebrate Children’s Day with the children there.
SOURCE: Channelsnews

Bride Found Out New Husband Was Convicted Paedophile One Week After Wedding

Jazmin Cullen’s honeymoon turned from a dream to a nightmare when she found out the man she had just married was a convicted paedophile. 

When Jazmin met Jason Cullen in a pub, she thought he was The One and the pair married within months. 

But she was horrified when her grandmother found child abuse images on a laptop that Cullen had borrowed. 

After reporting him to the police, Jazmin found out that 31-year-old Cullen, a former ambulance call operator, had lied to her about his identity and criminal past. 

Two years earlier he had been jailed for possessing 8,000 child abuse images and exchanging them with other paedophiles. 

He served half of a two year prison sentence and met Jazmin shortly after being released. 

After being reported, police searched the house the couple were staying in and Cullen was charged; he pleaded guilty to possession of indecent images at Sutton Magistrates’ Court in April 2011. 

But after hearing he had already spent 14 weeks in custody since his arrest, he was given an 18-month community order and fined £85. 

The court heard he had allegedly been abused aged 16, but no one was ever arrested, charged or prosecuted.

Horrified Jazmin, from Carshalton, Surrey, said: “He seemed like such a normal and charming man and still to this day I find it very hard to believe it is the same person. 

"I wanted to believe it was all a mistake. At no point did I ever support his actions, but I wanted to believe that it was not true. 

"Seeing him convicted was a mix of relief, complete devastation and disbelief. 

"Divorcing him will be the final step in moving on but so far he has denied me that." 

But the nightmare isn’t over for Jazmin, as she finds herself unable to divorce Cullen because he is refusing to cooperate, dragging out the legal end to their marriage. 

According to Jazmin, Cullen has continued to change his name and whereabouts, making divorcing him impossible. She is now looking into getting a decree nisi divorce, on the grounds they have lived apart for long enough. 

"At one point I wasn’t sure if there was any hope out there, but now I’m doing really well now in my life,” she said. 

SOURCE: Yahoonews