The Bishop of Ekiti Diocese of Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev Christopher Omotunde, has called on the state government to enact a law that will attract maximum punishment for anyone convicted of rape or child abuse.
Rev Omotunde made the call during a sermon at the burial ceremony of Chief Thomas Olonisakin in Igbemo Ekiti over the weekend.
According to him, such laws would put an end to wanton abuse of children and women in the state.
The bishop lamented the rate at which minors are being violated in the country.
He said such acts should be condemned in its entirety, urging Governor Kayode Fayemi to encourage the state legislature to come up with a law on capital punishment for rapists, so that other states can also follow suit.
Rev Omotunde, who hailed the child rights law and the gender based violence laws of the state, said a more strident penalty must be meted out to sex offenders in order to stem the ugly trend.
In a direct appeal to Governor Fayemi, who was in attendance at the burial service said, the cleric said “I want you to push it to the assembly to legislate capital punishment for those who abuse children, for those who rape either young children or adult. We want it, we want sanity, you have started it; I want you to push it until it becomes law for us here.
“And what can make life comfortable for our women, unfortunately, I’m a man, but most of our men abuse women, they misuse them, I’m not saying equality now, but there must be a measure of respect for our women in the society.”
He commended Fayemi for his efforts at ensuring that Ekiti becomes safer for investors, through collaboration with the security agencies and the traditional institution.
