Nigerian Postgraduate in UK Jailed 10 Years for Raping Teen in Leeds, Faces Lifetime Ban and Deportation

A Nigerian postgraduate student studying in the United Kingdom, Chiemka Okoronta, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a teenage girl in West Yorkshire — a crime the judge described as “premeditated” and “predatory.”

The 29-year-old was convicted at Bradford Crown Court after luring the teenager, who had been stranded on a night bus in Morley, Leeds, into a taxi under false pretences on March 25.

According to court findings, Okoronta promised to share a taxi ride to Bradford Interchange, but instead diverted to his flat, where he locked the girl inside and assaulted her in a bathroom.

The victim, whose phone had died after getting off the bus, managed to escape after the attack and contacted police using a passerby’s phone.

Delivering judgment, Judge Sophie McKone condemned Okoronta’s calculated actions.

“You had already formulated a plan to get her back to your flat, where you could rape her,” McKone said. “You concocted a reason for her to come into your flat. You are, I am clear, a dangerous sexual predator.”

The judge ordered Okoronta to serve an additional three years on extended licence after his sentence and placed him on the UK Sex Offenders Register for life. Upon completing his term, he will be deported to Nigeria.

In a victim impact statement, the teenager said the assault had “turned my life upside down”, describing recurring flashbacks and nightmares that continue to haunt her.

Detective Constable Sue Sutcliffe of West Yorkshire Police commended the victim for her courage in coming forward.

“I would like to commend the victim for her immense bravery in reporting this horrific crime straight away. I urge anyone who has suffered sexual abuse to report it so that we can take appropriate action,” she said.

The case has drawn public outrage both in the UK and Nigeria, with renewed calls for stricter vetting and awareness for international students about legal and ethical conduct abroad.