UK Court Jails Nigerian Postgraduate Student, Okoronta, for Raping Stranded 17-Year-Old Girl

Chiemka Okoronta, a Nigerian postgraduate student, tricked a stranded 17-year-old girl into sharing a taxi before luring her to his flat in Leeds, where he raped her. He will serve an extended prison term and face deportation after his sentence.

A Nigerian postgraduate student, Chiemka Okoronta, has been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for raping a 17-year-old girl who was stranded after a night bus service unexpectedly terminated in Leeds.

The incident occurred on March 25, when both Okoronta and the teenage victim found themselves without transport home after their bus ended its route early in Morley, Leeds. Offering to help, Okoronta convinced the girl to share a taxi to Bradford. However, the taxi took them to his flat instead of the agreed destination.

According to Prosecutor Graham O’Sullivan, Okoronta persuaded the teenager to enter his apartment under false pretenses, then locked her inside a toilet and raped her. The terrified victim later managed to escape and call the police with the help of a passer-by.

During the trial at Bradford Crown Court, the girl described the profound trauma she continues to endure, saying:

“This incident has turned my life upside down. I have flashbacks of what happened to me, I have nightmares – one minute I feel fine and the next minute it all comes back.”

Delivering judgment, Judge Sophie McKone condemned Okoronta’s calculated deceit and violent assault, describing him as a “dangerous sexual predator.” She stated:

“I am satisfied that when you asked if she wanted to share your taxi to Bradford, you had already formulated a plan to lure her to your flat and rape her.”

Okoronta, who was convicted of multiple rape offences, was handed a lengthy custodial sentence and ordered to serve an additional three years on extended licence. He will also register as a sex offender for life and is likely to be deported to Nigeria after serving his sentence.

Detective Constable Sue Sutcliffe of the West Yorkshire Police commended the victim for her courage in immediately reporting the crime:

“I would like to commend the victim in this case for her immense bravery in coming forward straight away to report this horrific crime. I would urge anyone who has been the victim of a sexual offence to please report it to us so we can take action.”

The court’s ruling underscores the UK’s firm stance on sexual violence and exploitation, ensuring that perpetrators—regardless of nationality—face full legal consequences.

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