Bayelsa Assembly Endorses Life Imprisonment For Rapists

 Members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Wednesday passed into law the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill, VAPP.

The bill was adopted in a unanimous voice vote having gone through the third reading.

In his remarks after the passage of the bill, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, regretted that the passage of the bill suffered some setbacks last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the flood which ravaged the state.

He commended the sponsor of the bill and the stakeholders that promoted the bill for adding value to the society through the bill and thereafter committed the bill to the Joint House Committee on Women, Children Affairs and Social Development, and Committee on Justice and Judiciary to finetune it. 

The bill seeks to bring to the barest minimum, all forms of violence in private and public life, provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders in the state and other connected purposes, as well as bring about the speedy dispensation of justice and protect the society from crime by promoting the rights and interests of citizens.

The sponsor of the bill and member representing Ekeremor Constituency 1, Tare Porri, expressed satisfaction with the passage of the bill, noting that sexual violence has been bedevilling society.

He said: "We are aware that rape is a terrible issue that is affecting our environment. The VAAP law will not only bring an end to the issue of rape. It will also bring an end to the issue of electoral violence. It will also bring an end to spousal battering. This law will also bring succour for victims of sexual violence.

"I can assure Bayelsans that the law if eventually assented to by Governor Douye Diri will address the issue of sexual violence in Bayelsa State. This punishment for rape is life imprisonment and I know that nobody will like to risk his or her life."