- Another suspect discharged and acquitted
A Jigawa High Court in Kazaure, presided by Justice Hussaina Adamu Aliyu, on 8 December 2021, sentenced one Alto Ado, 70, to life imprisonment for defiling two minors.
The septuagenarian, a watchman, had on 14 October 2020 lured the two girls aged 7 and 9 into an uncompleted building in Cikin Gari area of Kazaure town and forcefully had unlawful sexual intercourse with them one after the other.
Alto Ado was later arrested and charged to court for the offence of rape, according to a statement on Thursday by Zainab Baba Santali, the Public Relations Officer, Jigawa State Ministry of Justice.
Related: Jigawa teacher gets life jail for defiling 5-year-old pupil
The prosecution proved the case by calling five witnesses, including a medical report, the prosecutrix, Investigation Police Officer and the victims’ fathers.
The judge, having been satisfied with the evidence presented by the prosecution, found the defendant guilty for the offence of rape and handed him life imprisonment under Section 3 of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Law, 2014.
Also, Justice Hussaina Adamu Aliyu, on 8 December 2021, found one Murtala idris of Sada Village in Yankwashi Local Government Area guilty of raping a 6-year-old-girl.
Three witnesses testified for the prosecution including the prosecutrix and a medical report tendered and admitted in evidence. The defendant denied the allegation.
At the end of the trial, however, the court found that the prosecution had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt and the defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment based on the provision of Section 3 of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Law, 2014.
In another case, a High Court at Gumel, presided over by Justice A. M. Sambo, discharged and acquitted one Ahmadu Sule (alias Soja), who was arraigned on 28 January 2020 for the offence of rape.
Related: ‘No evidence’: Court acquits man of rape of 7-year-old girl in Jigawa
Sule, from Sugungun Village, Garki Local Government Area, was tried for the offence of rape contrary to section 282(1)(e) of the Penal Code Law of Jigawa State.
It was alleged that the defendant on 8 August 2017 had sexual intercourse with a six-year-old-girl, but he denied the charge.
The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered extra judicial statement of the defendant and a medical report, while the defendant testified as the sole witness for his defense where he also denied knowing the prosecutrix.
The court, in its judgment, held that the prosecutrix testified that the defendant only put his finger in the minor’s private part and nothing more, adding that the medical report also revealed no penetration to establish rape or any lesser offence.
The court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charge or any other offence beyond reasonable doubt, and therefore discharged and acquitted the defendant.
