>
By Samuel Adegoke
The Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has urged the judiciary to increase the rate of convicting rapists to deter others from the crime.
Ogundoyin stated this while featuring on South West Political Circuit, an interview programme on Fresh 105.9FM, Ibadan at the weekend.
The lawmaker, who expressed anger at the increasing number of rape incidents across the country, especially in Oyo State, blamed the low rate of conviction of rape suspects for the incessant rape cases being recorded. He posited that potential rapists would think twice if they see others being convicted by the court.
“The conviction rate is a problem. The Oyo State Government has made provision for a helpline at the Ministry of Women, Social Welfare and Humanitarian Affairs. Let victims come out immediately it occurs. They should not be afraid. We will protect them. Government will represent them in court. We need to increase our conviction rate in Oyo State to serve as a model for others,” he said.
The Speaker agreed that some laws need to be amended to reflect current realities, promising that the House of Assembly would strengthen such laws that will bring sanity to the society and protect the vulnerable.
On the financial autonomy granted Houses of Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, Ogundoyin revealed that Governor Seyi Makinde had already initiated efforts to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and judiciary in the state before Buhari’s Executive Order 10. He said a committee that will comprise the three arms of government and the Office of the Accountant General of the state was already being planned to work out the modality as is the current practice in Lagos and Delta states.
Ogundoyin also justified the N20 billion loan recently approved by the Assembly for the construction of bus terminals, saying the project would greatly increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He also disclosed that House committees would be reshuffled for more effectiveness at the next sitting.