The House of Representatives is currently deliberating on a bill to extend the time limit for prosecuting sexual offences committed against girls under the age of 13.
Sponsored by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Demsa/Numan/ Lumurde Federal Constituency in Adamawa State, Rep Bitrus Laori, says the bill has passed its first reading and aims to amend Section 218 and 221 of Criminal Code Act.
According to the existing Section 218, “Any person who has unlawful canal knowledge of a girl under the age of thirteen years is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for life, with or without caning.
However, the section also stipulates a time limit: “A prosecution for either of the offences defined in section of this Code shall begun within two months after the offences is committed” The time limit, according to Laori, is inadequate.
-9News Nigeria.
