Lagos DPP: Force your wife to have sex, face life imprisonment

Lagos DPP: Force your wife to have sex, face life imprisonment

Dr. Babajide Martins

A husband who forces his wife to have sex after she has withdrawn her consent could face life imprisonment in Lagos, the state’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, has warned.

Martins issued the warning as Lagos commenced its Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, stressing that marriage or payment of bride price does not give a man the right to force his wife into sexual intercourse.

He explained that although Nigerian law does not recognise marital rape as an offence, Lagos State criminal law provides for sexual assault by penetration, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

According to Martins, a husband who forces sexual intercourse on his wife after she has refused consent could be prosecuted under the provision.

“Once there is an issue between them and the wife refuses to have sex with him, the husband cannot force her,” he said.

He urged women experiencing domestic or sexual violence to report such incidents to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency for appropriate intervention and legal action.

Credit – TVC