Lagos govt publishes 12 names of sex offenders, says measure to serve as deterrent

IBRAHIM QUADRI

Lagos State Government through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has published 12 adult males that have been convicted by courts for different sexual offences to stem tides of all forms of domestic and sexual violence in the State.

The publication of 12 names and other details of the convicts in the register, according to the agency, could aid residents to identify anyone that had been convicted for engaging in sex offenses in the state.

It said that the move, revealing their identities, would serve as a deterrent to others residents that were planning to embark on such crime across the state.

The 12 convicts identities were made public by the government through its sex offender register and those published on the register include, Gbenga Olasunkanmi, Bashiru Obasekere, Idowu Daniel, Moses Olawale and Akin Isaac.

Aside from that, the state government is currently pursuing over 400 sexual and domestic violence cases pending before different courts across the state.

The Executive Secretary, DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, who disclosed this during the launch of “The Hidden Crime, Violence Against Men Project”, held in Ikeja, over the weekend said:

Vivour-Adeniyi explained that the 12 already published on the register were those convicted and have accepted to serve their sentences as stipulated by the court.

She added that other details being published by the government include a picture of the sex offender, the nature of the offense committed as well as the duration of the sentence handed down by the court.

It was learnt the government had sent letters of advisory to the local governments and traditional rulers of the communities where the convicts resided to alert them.

This was said to be in line with the provisions of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, particularly section 42 which provides that the agency periodically publish details of sex convicts in the state.

Among those already published was Idowu Daniel who was convicted of sexual assault and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

Daniel whose picture appeared on the register was said to have been convicted for the offence of sexual assault and was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Lagos State High Court,” the tweet read.

Another offender, Moses Olawale, was convicted of sexual assault by penetration and sentenced to 37 years imprisonment, while, Akin Isaac, was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment after he was convicted of defilement.

Vivour-Adeniyi noted that this measure was one amongst many deployed by the state government to end the culture of impunity and also serve as a deterrent to other sex offenders.

Other measures being deployed by the agency include creating awareness about the violence, sensitizing residents on the need to speakup and measures already put in place by the government to assist victims.