By Emem Nsini-Godwin
On Wednesday, July 15, 2026, a Rivers State Family Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday sentenced a 75-year-old man, Promise Chukwumatti, to 10 years’ imprisonment after convicting him on one-count charge of defiling an 11-year-old girl.
Delivering judgment, trial judge Justice Rita Oguguo held that the prosecution had proved the case against the convict beyond reasonable doubt, relying on oral evidence, a confessional statement and other documentary evidence tendered before the court.
The court had earlier convicted Chukwumatti after agreeing with the prosecution, led by Precious Ordu of the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, that he committed the offence against the child. According to testimony presented at trial, the offence occurred on multiple occasions at the convict’s apartment, with the minor lured with an unspecified amount of money her way to school.
Ordu stated, “The Honourable Justice Rita C. Oguguo just delivered a judgment in the offence of defilement where a 75-year-old man defiled a girl of eleven years; a girl that ought to be his granddaughter.
“So the Court in its wisdom delivered the judgement today and also sentenced the defendant to ten years in imprisonment and a fine of N1 million to be paid to the victim’s family.
“It is a good judgement and justice for the state and the victim. The Court also ordered that the name of the defendant should be included in the list of defilement offenders, that is rapist in the state
“This judgment will also make others who have the intention of going into the offence of defilement to stay away from minors
Justice Oguguo had initially reserved sentencing the Septuagenarian to life imprisonment to allow the defence to present an allocutus — a formal plea for leniency — in consideration of the children of the convict who are without a mother. Wednesday’s sitting was fixed specifically for that purpose, and the judge proceeded to hand down the 10-year term after the outstanding issues were addressed.
With sentencing now delivered, the case against Chukwumatti is concluded at the trial court level, subject to any appeal his legal team may choose to file.
