LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A Kano State High Court on Friday sentenced Shamsu Adamu to 14 years in prison with sundry work for defiling a five (5) year old girl.
The court found the convict guilty of a two-count charge of rape contrary to section 283 of the Penal Code and an Unnatural offense against the order of nature punishable under Section 284 of the Penal Code.
Prosecution Counsel Barrister A.U Adamu brought three (3) witnesses forward including the victim, an investigative officer and neighbors to prove his case.
The suspect plead not guilty to the charges read to him then he testifies as a sole defense witness.
The prosecutor’s witnesses who as well as the convict are residents of Kunture village in Ungogo LGA of Kano state. The witnesses testified that at around 4:00pm, June 7 2021, the convict lured his victim into his room, raped her, pushed her outside after his deed then ran away.
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Justice Maryam Sabo, the presiding judge, said that although no evidence linked the defendant directly to the crime, however, “by the circumstantial evidence adduced before the court during the trial especially that of the victim’s mother who saw blood o the private part of her daughter. Also the prosecution who similarly led the investigation team to the room of the defendant, I strongly believe that the prosecution counsel was able to prove the offense of rape against reasonable doubt.”
Justice Sabo found the accused guilty as charged of the offense of rape under Section 282 of the Penal Code law and punishable under Section 283 of the same law. “I hereby convict and sentence you to 14 years imprisonment with hardwork in the correctional center.
In her judgment, Justice Sabo stated that the prosecution had failed to prove the offense of unnatural offense against the defendant.
“The evidence of PW3 (Prosecution Witness 3) is insufficient to establish the offense of unnatural offense against the defendant.” He was therefore discharged and acquitted of the second count of unnatural offense charged under Section 284 of the Penal Code.
He is to serve his 14 years prison sentence in a correctional center.
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