- … discharges, acquits man arraigned over rape of minor
A 10-year-old boy (name withheld) arraigned over the killing of his 3-year-old nephew has been found guilty for the offence of Culpable Homicide by a Jigawa High Court in Gumel Local Government Area of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of Jigawa Ministry of Justice Zainab Baba Santali, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, the minor was convicted on 10 November 2021 by Justice A. M. Sambo under Section 221(b) of the Penal Code Law of Jigawa State.
According to the statement, the prosecution established that the defendant took his 3-year-old nephew (name withheld) from his grandmother’s house to his mother’s home.
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“On their way, the defendant kept his nephew under a tree to fetch some grasses in a nearby bush, but the deceased started crying which upset the defendant.
“He, therefore, strangled the deceased until he died. The defendant subsequently dug a shallow grave and buried the 3-year-old boy.
“The defendant was interrogated by the parent of the deceased on their son’s whereabouts. Until the next day, the defendant led the deceased’s father, their ward head, the policeman and some people to the place where he buried the deceased.
“The dead body of the little boy was exhumed and taken to General hospital Gumel for medical examination.
Following the above discovery, the presiding High Court judge, Justice A. M Sambo convicted the defendant and ordered the convict to be kept at Kafin Hausa reformatory centre at governor’s pleasure.
In another development, a Jigawa High Court in Hadejia, presided by Justice Ado Yusuf, on 9 November 2021, discharged and acquitted one Mohammed Junainu who was arraigned for the offence of rape contrary to Section 3 of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Law, 2014.
The defendant, from Makara-Huta in Hadejia Local Government Area of the state, pleaded not guilty to the offence.
“The facts of the case were that sometimes in April 2017 the defendant was accused to have raped a 10-year-old girl (name withheld) at Makara Huta, Hadejia Local Government. The prosecution called two witnesses and tendered two exhibits.
“The exhibits are the Medical Report and Statement of the Defendant at SCID. The second Prosecution Witness is the police officer who recorded the statement of the defendant at SCID and the defendant denied committing the offence.
“The court ruled that the uncorroborated testimony of the prosecution was not enough to secure a conviction and that the medical report did not provide the required corroborative evidence,” the statement said.
