Ekiti state government has begun a public policy of naming and shaming sex offenders in the state.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda had earlier this year issued a statement on practical measures aimed at curbing sexual violence in the State.
Fapohunda said, “the State government is concerned about the frequency of reported cases of sexual violence. It has therefore become necessary to put in place proactive measures to halt this trend. One of these measures include public notification of the status of convicted sex offenders by showing their photographs on Ekiti State Broadcasting Service and announcing their names on Radio Stations in the State.”
Disclosing the novel programme in a statement issued by the office of the Attorney- General, Ministry of Justice Ekiti state, on Friday, the government said it was commencing the policy with the publication of the name and photographs of a convicted Anglican priest, Asateru Gabriel.
“The Ministry of Justice has today began the publication of the names and photographs of convicted sex offenders in the State. We are commencing with a Public Notice on the status of Reverend Asateru Gabriel, a former Anglican priest who was convicted for the Sexual Abuse of a seven-year-old girl.
“Reverend Gabriel is currently serving a five year prison sentence in Federal Prisons Ado Ekiti. This publication is in furtherance of the Fayemi administration’s zero tolerance policy for all forms of violence against Women and Children.”
The statement further explained that other additional measures to curb sexual violence in the state include: “Pasting the Photographs of convicted sex offenders in prominent public spaces in their communities and their Local Government Headquarters; issuing an advisory to the traditional ruler of the sex offender’s community on the status of the offender; uploading the sex offender’s photograph on the website of the Ministry of Justice and compulsory psychiatric tests for all persons of whom the Director of Public Prosecution (D.P.P) has issued ‘a case to answer’ legal opinion for the offence of Child defilement.”
