…Marriage, Bride Price No Licence To Override Wife’s Consent, Prosecutor Warns
…Husbands May Face Sexual Assault Charge After Forcing Unwilling Wives
Daud Olatunji
The Lagos State Government has warned husbands against forcing their wives into sexual relations, saying marriage does not give a man the right to have sex with his wife without her consent.
The state Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing organised by the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency to mark the commencement of the state’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month.
Martins said although federal law does not specifically recognise forced sexual intercourse between spouses as marital rape, Lagos State’s criminal law provides grounds for prosecuting a husband who forces his wife into sexual intercourse.
According to him, such a husband could be prosecuted for sexual assault by penetration, an offence which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The DPP said consent remained fundamental even within marriage, particularly where a wife had expressly refused sexual relations.
He explained that the legal position could become applicable where a relationship between the couple had broken down or there was a dispute and the wife clearly withdrew her consent.
“Once there is an issue between them and the wife refuses to have sex with him, the husband cannot force her,” Martins said.
He added that where a woman reported such an incident, the authorities would not necessarily prosecute the husband for rape but could charge him with sexual assault by penetration under the applicable Lagos law.
Martins also warned men against believing that payment of bride price or being married automatically gave them unrestricted rights over their wives.
He urged women experiencing domestic or sexual violence to report such cases to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency for appropriate intervention.
The warning comes amid renewed efforts by the Lagos State Government to raise awareness about domestic and sexual violence and strengthen reporting and prosecution mechanisms across the state.
The DPP urged victims not to remain silent, stressing that reporting incidents was necessary for law enforcement and other relevant authorities to intervene.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
