Serial rapist, 52, bags 10 years

A 52-year-old serial rapist, John Udensi, is to spend the next 10 years behind the bars, a Jos High Court ruled on Thursday.

Udensi had raped girls — a teenager and two underage of ages 13, 11 and 10, our correspondent reports.

Justice Nafisa Musa sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to a charge of rape.

“Going by the findings of this court and your guilty plea, you Udensi callously raped three minor girls at your home after luring them with television programmes.

“The sentence of this court upon you is that you shall remain behind bars for 10 years without an option of fine,’’ the judge ruled.

“The sentence is meant to serve as a deterrent to others.”

The convict was first arraigned on Nov. 25, 2015 on a charge of raping minors.

Udensi, a resident of Angwan-Boarder, Tudun Wada in Jos, had on May 9 pleaded guilty to the charge and the judge reserved sentence for Oct. 12.

Earlier, Police Prosecutor C. R. Parlong told the court that the accused committed the offence at his residence on different dates in 2015.

He alleged that Udensi lured the girls into his room to watch television and took advantage of them.

“The accused had confessed to the police, in a confessional statement, that he committed the crime on Oct. 9, Nov. 18 and Nov. 20, 2015 at his home in Tudun Wada,’’ Parlong said.

The prosecutor said the accused admitted to have raped the first and second victims in his room while they were watching television.

“The accused was unlucky as he was caught in the act by some people while raping the teenager.

“He was beaten up by the crowd and later handed over to the police,’’ Parlong said.

The offence contravened Section 283 of the Penal Code and punishable with life imprisonment on conviction.