THE Ekiti State government has upgraded the penalties for rape to include publishing the offenders’ names and running a compulsory psychiatric test on them as part of efforts towards combating the menace in the state

This was made known by Wale Fapohunda, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Justice, during a press conference in Ado-Ekiti on Monday.

“As part of the efforts to tackle rapists and child abusers in Ekiti State, the government will henceforth conduct a compulsory psychiatric test and publish the names and photographs of offenders on the website of the Ministry of Justice,” Fapohunda was quoted as saying.

“The names of such offenders will also be announced on the state-owned radio and television, while the monarch of the town the offender hails from will be alerted and their details obtained,’’ he said.

The commissioner expressed concern over the growing cases of rape in the state even though there has been a significant number of convictions.

He said the situation had irritated Governor Kayode Fayemi and he has called for proactive measures.

Fapohunda said the upgraded punishment is meant to complement the aggressive prosecution and exclusion of offenders from governor’s prerogative of mercy that had already been adopted and put into operation.

“The additional measures put in place include pasting the photographs of convicted offenders in prominent public spaces in their communities and their local government headquarters,” Fapohunda said.

“Government will also be issuing an advisory to the traditional rulers of the offenders’ communities on the status of the offender. We will also start showing photographs of sex offenders on television stations; as well as announce their names repeatedly on the state radio.”

According to Fapohunda, the state government also decided that any offender issued a case to answer for the offence of child defilement by the Director of Public Prosecution and persons already standing trial  must go through a psychiatric test.

“Since conviction alone was not solving the problem, the government will now engage  severe measure that would deny offenders their rights to dignity,” he said.

In addition, government will continue to improve on public education and awareness to sensitise the people on the demerits of rape, as well as letting know the upgraded penalties for the crime.