Women lawyers in the state have expressed outrage over the trend which, they claimed, is fast becoming alarming this was as a result of the recent gang-raping of two teenage girls who later died in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
The lawyers told reporters that the girls, 15 years old and 16 years old, were raped and later killed by gangs of boys in separate areas of the Bayelsa State capital.
According to the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Bayelsa, Mrs. Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, while the 15-year old girl (name withheld) was raped at an uncompleted building along the D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha Expressway, the 16 years old girl was raped in another area of the state capital. Both girls were killed after the terrible act.
The infuriated women lawyers, while confirming the development, however, expressed disgust at the refusal of victims’ parents to seek for the arrest of the rapists and pursue prosecution.
Ogbise-Erhisere called on the victims’ parents not to settle rape cases outside of the court in order for offenders to face the full weight of the law as well as serve as a deterrent to others.
She expressed her displeasure over the act against the innocent girls in society who go about their lawful duties and call on relevant security agencies to be alert to curb the increasing cases of this social vice.
She called on parents to advice their male children to desist from the shameful act which attracts the wrath of God and life imprisonment sentence in our laws.