Ekiti begins public naming, shaming of sexual offenders

Ekiti State Government has commenced implementation of new measures aimed at curbing sexual violence, especially child defilement and rape in the state.

Governor Kayode Fayemi said the state would regularly name and shame every person, who has been convicted for sexual crimes.

Fayemi, in a tweet on his Twitter handle began the naming with one Rev. Asateru Gabriel, who is serving a five-year year jail term for sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl.

Today, we commence the naming and shaming of convicted sexual offenders in Ekiti State. #SayNotoRape. JKF pic.twitter.com/F5lYIDgSrf

— Kayode Fayemi (@kfayemi) August 16, 2019

The state attorney general and commissioner for justice Wale Fapounda in March announced the measures at a press conference.

He said the government will announce persons standing trial for the offence of child defilement who had issued a ‘case to answer’ legal advice by the director of public prosecution will undergo compulsory psychiatry test.

Other measures announced by Fapounda include pasting of photographs of convicted sex offenders in public spaces in their local government and uploading their photographs on the government website.

He said the offenders’ names will be announced on the state-owned radio station and photographs will be on the state-owned television station to name and shame them.

The commissioner said other measures include aggressive prosecution of sex offenders, the opening of sex offenders register and disqualification from the prerogative of mercy appeared not sufficient enough to curb the scourge.

He said the Dr Kayode Fayemi-led administration had a zero-tolerance for sexual violence and would do everything possible to protect women and children against the scourge, which is fast becoming rampant in the state.

Fapohunda, who noted that any sex offender who feels that the measures constitute a breach of his right can seek redress in a court of law, adding that the “victim-support strategy” is within the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended.