Jigawa High Court finds 10-year-old boy guilty of Culpable Homicide, discharges another arraign for rape.
The Jigawa State High Court Sitting in Gumel Presided by Honourable Justice A. M. Sambo on 10th November 2021 delivered judgment against a 10-year-old boy (name withheld) found guilty for the offence of Culpable Homicide under Section 221(b) of the Penal Code Law of Jigawa State.
The prosecution led evidence and established the fact that the defendant took his 3-year-old nephew (name withheld) from his grandmother’s house to his mother’s home. 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 Hon. Judge A. M Sambo convicted the defendant and ordered the convict to be kept at Kafin Hausa reformatory centre at Governor’s pleasure.
In another judgement, the High Court Sitting in Hadejia, Presided by Honourable Justice Ado Yusuf on 9th November 2021 discharged and acquitted one Mohd Junainu from Makara-Huta in Hadejia Local government for the offence of rape contrary to Section 3 of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Law, 2014. The defendant 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 Govt. The prosecution called 2 witnesses and tendered two (2) 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 prosecutrix was not enough to secure a conviction and that the medical report did not provide the required corroborative evidence.

Zainab Baba Santali
Public Relations Officer
Jigawa Ministry of Justice.
11th February 2021