UYO – A commercial motorcycle operator,popularly known as an “Okada” rider, Michael Effiong Japhet, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by an Akwa Ibom State High Court for raping a married woman and nursing mother in Uyo.

Delivering judgment on Tuesday, the High Court sitting in Uyo and presided over by Hon. Justice Archibong Archibong found the convict guilty of rape and stealing, offences punishable under the Criminal Code Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2000.

The court heard that the incident occurred on February 23, 2015, when the victim, a fruit seller at the popular Ekom Iman Junction in Uyo, engaged the services of the motorcyclist to transport her to her residence in Ikot Ofon, Ikono Local Government Area, after the close of business.

Instead of taking the agreed route, the convict reportedly diverted to Ikot Nsung in Ikono Uyo and drove into a secluded bush path, where he falsely claimed that his motorcycle had run out of fuel.

He subsequently dispossessed the victim of her purse containing N7,000 and a Nokia mobile phone before threatening her with a knife and ordering her to undress.

Despite repeated pleas from the victim, who informed him that she was married and nursing a baby, the convict forcefully raped her at knifepoint before fleeing the scene.

The court further heard that the following morning, the victim spotted the suspect while on her way to Ekom Iman Junction and immediately alerted her husband. The suspect was apprehended, and the victim’s stolen phone was recovered from him.

In a judgment that lasted about one hour, Justice Archibong sentenced Japhet to life imprisonment on the charge of rape and three years’ imprisonment for stealing.

The verdict marks the conclusion of an 11-year prosecution by the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Justice, bringing closure to a case that has drawn significant public attention and reaffirming the judiciary’s commitment to protecting victims of sexual violence and ensuring justice is served.