Rapists, others may now get life imprisonment as Senate passes bills

Firstclass newsline gathered that the Senate on Wednesday passed into
law the Sexual Offences Bill which prescribes life imprisonment for
anyone found guilty of sexual offences like rape and child sex
tourism, among others.
Some of the offences listed in the bill included, rape, child sex
tourism and people who deliberately infect others with HIV/AIDS.
Chairman of the Committee on Navy, Senator Chris Anyanwu, sponsored
the bill which is expected to pass concurrence in the House of
Representatives on Thursday.
The bill also prescribes 10 years for incest; 10 years imprisonment
for child pornography or a fine of N2m, while those who engage in sex
abuse will go to jail for 14 years.
The Chairman, Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters,
Senator Umaru Dahiru, said the bill seeks to redefine and consolidate
existing laws on sexual offences.
Anyanwu expressed happiness on the passage of the bill which has been
pending in the senate since 2013.
Specifically, she said, the new sexual offences law has criminalised
people who deliberately lace drinks with drugs with intent to stupefy
and sexually abuse persons with mental disabilities, among others.
Meanwhile, the senate was thrown into rowdy session on Wednesday
following the passage of 46 Bills into law in less than ten minutes
that they were introduced by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules
and Business, Senator Ita Enang.
Enang said the 46 bills had been recently passed by the House of
Representatives and transmitted to the senate for concurrence.
He said the senate had said that enough resources had already been
expended in processing the bills by the 7th National Assembly, hence
there was the need to pass the bills and forward them to the President
for his assent.
Firstclassnewsline.net