Nigerian Student Jailed 14 Years In Cyprus Over Sexual Assault Case

Nigerian Student Jailed 14 Years In Cyprus Over Sexual Assault Case

A Nigerian student in Northern Cyprus, identified as Obasi Chimezirm Princewill, has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a fellow student and secretly recording the incident without her consent.

The judgment was delivered by the Lefkoşa High Criminal Court following the conclusion of a widely followed trial involving charges of sexual assault and serious assault linked to an incident that occurred in March 2023 at a student dormitory in the Hamitköy area of Lefkoşa (Nicosia).

According to the court, the incident happened between 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. on March 25 and 26, 2023, after the defendant entered the victim’s room with her consent before allegedly attacking her.

Delivering the judgment, Senior Judge Vedia Berkut Barkın said the defendant assaulted the victim by strangling her before sexually assaulting her multiple times.

The court further heard that the defendant secretly recorded the incident without the victim’s knowledge or permission, a factor the judges described as particularly disturbing and aggravating.

Judge Barkın stated that the court found the defendant guilty on all charges after reviewing witness testimonies, forensic evidence, medical reports and digital materials obtained during the investigation.

“The defendant came to our country as a student. After becoming an illegal immigrant, he continued to reside here and committed such a grave crime,” the judge reportedly said during sentencing.

READ ALSO:

• Dangote Denies Rift With Tony Elumelu, Threatens Legal Action Over Viral Claims
• No Final Decision Yet — Kwankwaso Speaks On ADC Exit Rumours
• Nigerian Army Reveals Why Influencer Justice Crack Was Arrested

The court noted that recent amendments to criminal laws in Cyprus introduced stricter penalties for sexual offences due to growing concerns over rising cases of violence and abuse.

According to the judge, crimes involving violence, coercion and non-consensual recordings leave lasting emotional and psychological trauma on victims and therefore require severe punishment.

In arriving at the 14-year jail sentence, the court considered several aggravating factors, including the secret recording of the incident, the defendant’s alleged lack of remorse during the trial, and claims that he attempted to evade authorities during investigations.

Reports from local media in Cyprus indicated that Princewill was studying law at the time of the incident and had allegedly violated immigration regulations before his arrest.

The case has since generated reactions online in both Cyprus and Nigeria, with many social media users supporting the court’s decision and calling for stronger measures to protect students in host communities.

The development has also renewed conversations around campus safety, student welfare and the conduct of international students abroad.

Nigerian Student Jailed 14 Years In Cyprus Over Sexual Assault Case