Omotayo Adigun
A 29-year-old Nigerian postgraduate student, Chiemka Okoronta, has been sentenced to ten years in prison in the United Kingdom for the horrific rape of a 17-year-old girl. The crime, which took place in the early hours of March 25 in Leeds, followed a manipulative and predatory sequence of events after the victim found herself stranded.
Okoronta’s conviction stems from an incident that occurred after a night bus service unexpectedly terminated in Morley, Leeds. Both the student and the teenage victim required transport back to Bradford. The court heard that the victim’s phone had died after she alighted from the bus. Okoronta, seizing the opportunity, offered to share a taxi with the teenager to Bradford Interchange.
Prosecutor Graham O’Sullivan detailed in Bradford Crown Court that the shared taxi did not proceed to the interchange but instead was diverted to the defendant’s flat. Once at the address, Okoronta persuaded the unsuspecting girl to enter his accommodation before luring and attacking her in a locked toilet.
Following the assault, the brave victim managed to escape the flat, flag down a passer-by, and use their phone to immediately report the crime to the police.
Sentencing Okoronta, Judge Sophie McKone made it clear that she believed the student had orchestrated the attack.
“I am satisfied that when you asked if she wanted to share your taxi to Bradford you formulated a plan that would get her back to your flat where you could rape her,”
Judge McKone stated. She further condemned his actions, asserting, “You are, I am clear, a dangerous sexual predator.”
Okoronta was convicted of multiple rape offenses and will serve an extended license period of three years following his release. He has also been mandated to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Crucially, the court was informed that Okoronta, a Nigerian national, is likely to face deportation after serving his custodial sentence.
The profound trauma inflicted by the attack was highlighted by the victim’s statement, which was read out in court.
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“This incident has turned my life upside down,” she shared. “I have flashbacks of what happened to me, I have nightmares – one minute I feel fine and the next minute it all comes back.”
Det Con Sue Sutcliffe, from West Yorkshire Police, praised the victim’s courageous response.
“I would like to commend the victim in this case for her immense bravery in coming forward straight away to report this horrific crime,” she said.
Det Con Sutcliffe also took the opportunity to issue an appeal: “I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offense, to please report it to us so we can take action.”