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The Nigeria Senate has passed the bill which recognises males as rape victim.
The bill which is an amendment to the criminal code act CAP C38 LFN 2004 sponsored by Senator representing Lagos central, Oluremi Tinubu scaled third reading at Tuesday’s plenary presided by Senate President Ahmad Lawan.
The passage however followed a report on it which was presented by the chairman of the committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters, Opeyemi Bamidele.
Bamidele said stakeholders at the public hearing expressed divergent views as regards the proposed amendments in the bill.
He also said life imprisonment has been prescribed for kidnappers.
“The bill will address lingering issues starting with statute of limitation in the prosecution of rape and as well as defilement cases and it will curb the menace which has been on the rise,” said the Ekiti Senator.
“That the statute of limitation has been omitted from the violence against persons act 2015 which is the prevailing law of the subject matter.
“The bill seeks to amend the criminal code act of 1916 and not that of the states. The bill when enacted will apply to the federal high court
“The senate committee on judiciary, human rights and legal matters to which this bill was referred, having considered same, recommends as follows; that the senate pass the criminal code act CAP C38 LFN 2004 (amendment) bill 2020.”
The legislation is also seeking to remove the statue of limitation on rape cases; hence there is no time limit when rape matters can be decided.
The bill will be sent to the house of representatives for concurrence.
