Ekiti State Government has begun the public naming and shaming of convicted sex offenders in the state as part of efforts to curb sexual violence.
The state government opened the register with the name of a former Anglican priest, Reverend Asateru Gabriel, who was convicted for sexually abusing a seven-year-old girl.
A statement by Ekiti State Commissioner for Justice, Mr Wale Fapohunda, on Friday, stated, “The Ministry of Justice today began the publication of the names and photographs of convicted sex offenders in the state.
“We are commencing with a public notice on the status of Reverend Asateru Gabriel, a former Anglican priest who was convicted for the sexual abuse of a seven-year-old girl. The state government is concerned about the frequency of reported cases of sexual violence.
“It has, therefore, become necessary to put in place proactive measures to halt this trend. One of these measures includes public notification of the status of convicted sex offenders by showing their photographs on Ekiti State Broadcasting Service and announcing their names on radio stations in the state”.
“Reverend Gabriel is currently serving a five-year prison sentence in Federal Prisons Ado Ekiti. This publication is in furtherance of the Dr Kayode Fayemi administration’s zero-tolerance policy for all forms of violence against Women and Children”.
Other additional measures to curb sexual violence in the State as announced by Fapohunda include “pasting the photographs of convicted sex offenders in prominent public spaces in their communities and their local government headquarters.
“Issuing an advisory to the traditional ruler of the sex offender’s community on the status of the offender and uploading the sex offenders’ photograph on the website of the Ministry of Justice.
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