JIGAWA HIGH COURT DISCHARGES SUSPECT ARRAIGNS FOR RAPING 7-YEAR OLD GIRL
The Jigawa High Court of Justice sitting at Gumel presided by Honourable Justice A.M. Sambo has on 10th November, 2021 discharged and acqutted Salisu Abdul arraigned for the offence of Rape punishable under Section 3 of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendment) Law No 9, 2014.
The defendant who held from Rairaigamafada village of Gumel local government area of jigawa state was accused to have lured a 7-year-old-girl primary school pupil to his house at Bariki Quaters. He was accused to have given the victim some money and had canal knowledge of her.
He was arraigned before High Court sitting at Gumel on the 3rd day of December 2019 where the defendant pleaded not guilty of the charge. The prosecution in proving its case called 3 witnesses and tendered 3 exhibits while the defence called 2 witnesses including the defendant himself.
The court after analyzing the evidence the court found that the offence of rape has not been proven by the prosecution. The court held that it was in a strong doubt as to the culpability of the defendant. According to the court, the prosecutrix in her testimony could not identify the defendant as the person who allegedly defiled her and the proper procedure for identification parade was not followed by the police at the Gumel Police Division. The Court thereby discharged and acquitted the defendant.
Zainab Baba Santali
Public Relations Officer
Jigawa Ministry of Justice.
16th November 2021.
