A UK court has jailed a Nigerian student after he assaulted a teenage passenger — the incident being serious enough to result in immediate incarceration.
A Nigerian postgraduate student, Chiemka Okoronta, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the United Kingdom after being convicted of raping a 17-year-old stranded bus passenger in West Yorkshire.
The Bradford Crown Court described Okoronta, 29, as a “dangerous sexual predator.” He was found guilty of attacking the teenager on March 25, after the night bus they were both traveling on terminated unexpectedly in Morley, Leeds.
According to Prosecutor Graham O’Sullivan, the victim’s phone battery had died, and Okoronta offered to share a taxi with her since they were both headed to Bradford. Instead of taking her home, he instructed the taxi driver to stop at his flat, convincing the girl to go inside. Once there, he locked her in a toilet and sexually assaulted her.
After the ordeal, the victim managed to escape and borrowed a bystander’s phone to contact police.
Following his conviction, Judge Sophie McKone sentenced Okoronta to 10 years in prison, with an additional three years of extended licence upon release. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life. The court heard that Okoronta will likely be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.
Judge McKone said,
“I am satisfied that when you asked her to share a taxi, you had already formed a plan to take her back to your flat and rape her.
You created an excuse for her to come inside. You are, I am clear, a dangerous sexual predator.”
Victim’s Statement
An extract from the teenager’s impact statement, read aloud in court, revealed the extent of her trauma:
“This incident has turned my life upside down. I get flashbacks and nightmares about what happened. Sometimes I feel fine, but suddenly the memories come back, and I feel angry and upset.
I’ve stopped going out and often stay in my room. When I heard he’d been found guilty, I felt relieved — knowing he couldn’t do this to anyone else.”
Police Statement
Detective Constable Sue Sutcliffe of the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit praised the victim’s courage, stating:
“Okoronta manipulated and trapped his victim, forcing her to engage in sexual activity.
Her bravery in reporting the crime immediately allowed us to carry out a fast-paced investigation.
I hope this sentence brings her some measure of comfort, knowing he cannot harm anyone else.
Sutcliffe urged other victims of sexual assault to come forward:
“We have specialist officers ready to support survivors through every step of the process and to ensure offenders face justice.”
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