The wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Martha Emmanuel, has urged traditional rulers in the state not to succumb to the temptation of settling rape cases out of court.

The First Lady who spoke at the commencement of the ongoing 16-days-of-activism with the theme, ‘Orange the World’ held at Ibom hall Uyo said all rape cases should be channeled to the court.

According to her, ‘I’m here to plead with our traditional fathers never to settle rape cases out of court. Giving a fine of goat or drink to a man that commits the crime of rape should not be encouraged.

“Matters of rape should go to the appropriate place, that is court. No one should be spared. We will ensure that person is convicted, no matter how highly placed he is, he will be brought down unless the case is not reported.”

She, however, called for the establishment of special courts that would handle cases bothering on issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, as well as a legislative amendment that would accommodate the court.

The governor’s wife, who admitted that the specialized court would not eradicate incidents of GBV, noted that the establishment of the court would help to facilitate and hasten judgment as she regretted that cases were being unduly prolonged in normal court despite the selfless efforts of judges.

Speaking earlier, the keynote speaker, Idorenyin Eyo, noted that the special court would ensure seamless and speedy adjudication of cases that bother on sexual and gender-based violence adding that such courts would be manned by fearless judges, lawyers, staff specially trained on SGBV matters.

She said the special court would have comprehensive court rules devoid of unnecessary technicalities, ambiguities, and procedures that take place in the regular court.

She said, “Unfortunately, in Nigeria, litigation drags for so many years despite the selfless services of our judges. Some eventually dismissed the offenders who later walk around freely and collected chieftaincy.”