Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nicosia High Criminal Court in Cyprus has sentenced a 32‑year‑old Nigerian student, Obasi Chimezirm Princewill, to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in her dormitory and recording the act without her consent. The assault occurred between the night of 25 March and the early hours of 26 March 2023, in the Hamitköy area of Nicosia. According to court records, the victim, a Turkish Cypriot woman, was acquainted with the defendant. Princewill entered her room, overpowered her, and assaulted her multiple times during the attack. The court also heard that he secretly recorded the assault using his mobile phone.
During the trial, Police Sergeant Mustafa Mahan testified that the defendant had been the subject of several previous rape allegations. He also told the court that Princewill had attempted to silence some complainants by offering them ₦500,000 (approximately €1,000) to drop their cases. The police sergeant stated that the defendant had be pocome an illegal immigrant after overstaying his student visa, yet continued to reside in Cyprus, where he committed the crime.
Delivering the unanimous judgment, the three‑judge panel highlighted the severity of the offence and the defendant’s lack of remorse. “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 court stated. The judges noted that the sentence reflected stricter penalties introduced under recent legal amendments in Cyprus due to a rise in sexual offences. The court listed several aggravating factors: the use of a phone to record the victim without consent, the defendant’s evasion of arrest, his lack of remorse throughout the trial, and his attempts to bribe victims to withdraw complaints.
The Cypriot legal system has been grappling with an increase in reported sexual assaults, prompting legislative reforms in 2024 that increased maximum sentences for rape and sexual assault. The tougher penalties were designed to address a backlog of cases and to deter potential offenders. Princewill’s 14‑year sentence marks one of the longest handed down to a foreign national for a sexual offence in recent years.
The victim, whose identity has been protected by the court, provided a detailed statement describing the trauma of the assault and the subsequent realisation that she had been filmed without her knowledge. Her testimony, alongside forensic evidence recovered from the defendant’s phone, was central to the conviction. The court heard that the victim had sought counselling and continued to experience anxiety as a result of the attack.
Princewill has the right to appeal the conviction and sentence within 30 days. His legal counsel did not immediately indicate whether an appeal would be filed. The Nigerian Mission in Cyprus has been notified of the conviction and has offered consular assistance to the defendant, consistent with international practice.
The case has drawn attention to the conduct of some Nigerian students abroad. In a separate incident in 2023, a Nigerian student in Cyprus was arrested for drug trafficking, and a group of Nigerian students were expelled from a university in Nicosia over allegations of examination fraud. The Association of Nigerian Students in Cyprus has urged members to abide by Cypriot laws and to avoid conduct that could bring the community into disrepute.
The Cypriot authorities have reiterated their commitment to investigating and prosecuting sexual offences without regard to the nationality of the perpetrator. “No one is above the law. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness with which we treat sexual violence,” a spokesperson for the Cypriot Ministry of Justice said. As Princewill begins his sentence, the case serves as a warning to foreign nationals that Cyprus will impose severe penalties on those who commit sexual assaults within its jurisdiction.
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