23rd November, 2023.
PRESS RELEASE:
JIGAWA STATE HIGH COURT SENTENCES MAN TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR SODOMIZING TWO ‘ALMAJIRI’ BOYS.
The Jigawa State High Court No. 6, sitting in Birnin Kudu coram His Lordship Honourable Justice Musa Ubale, has on Thursday the 23rd day of December, 2023, convicted and sentenced one Israfilu Sagiru, (m), 25 years, of Zarena Village, Birnin Kudu LGA, Jigawa State, to life imprisonment for the offence of Rape.
The convict was earlier arraigned before the High Court on a two counts of Rape. He was alleged to have lured and sodomized two ‘almajiri’ boys aged 11 and 12, on the pretext of giving them new clothes where he had unlawful anal intercourse with them. The offence which took place on the 1st day of September, 2021, was contrary to Section 3 (1) (e) of the new Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law No. 02, 2021.
While delivering the judgment, His Lordship Honourable Justice Ubale, held that the prosecution from the State Ministry of Justice, had proved all the ingredients of the offence of Rape through their witnesses particularly the direct and unequivocal confessional statement of the convict and the evidence of forensic examiner that conducted medical investigation on the boys which corroborated the case of the prosecution. The court further went on to hold that the defence of the defendant was successfully punctured by the prosecution and therefore inadmissible as the prosecution’s evidence was much stronger and believable.
The court further said it is equally saddening and heat breaking that the convict has taken undue advantage of the vulnerability, tender age, penury and destitution of his victims to perpetrate the crime which should serve as a lesson to parents. The judgment is also meant to serve as deterrence to similar offenders. Dissatisfied party has 90 days within which to appeal the judgment.
Signed
Zainab Baba Santali
(Public Relations Officer)
Ministry of Justice, Dutse, Jigawa State.
For: Hon. Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice.
