Man, 55, sentenced to life imprisonment for raping 6-year-old girl and infecting her with STD in Niger state

A Senior Magistrates’ Court 3B, Unguwan-Daji, Minna, Niger State, has sentenced a 55-year-old man, Yau Ibrahim of Kundu village, Rafi LGA of the state, to life imprisonment for raping a 6-year-old girl. 

The convict was standing trial for unlawful sexual intercourse with a child who was equally infected with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

The police prosecutor, Inspector Aliyu Yakubu Kuta, earlier told the court that on August 3, 2023, at about 3:30pm, one Abdullahi Dauda of the same village reported at Kagara Police Division that the suspect lured his 6-year-old daughter who was in primary 1 to his room and had unlawful sexual intercourse with her.

Inspector Yakubu also told the court that the little girl sustained injuries on her private parts leading to severe bleeding.

Two witnesses and two exhibits including the confessional statement of the convict and medical report on the health status of the victim from the Police Clinic, Minna, were taken by the court before the prosecution closed the case for ruling

The convict, however, chose not to enter defence, admitting his offence.

Delivering the judgement on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, the judge, Hafsat Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, said though the plea for leniency from the convict was considered by the court, the convict deserved imprisonment for life considering the magnitude of the offence committed and the victim’s present state of health as confessed by the convict who told the court that he had infected the victim with Sexual Transmitted Diseases which was also contained in the victim’s medical report as well as the stigma the victim would carry for life.

She said the convict was sentenced to imprisonment for life at the Minna old correctional centre for the offence of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child, punishable under Section 26 (2) of the Niger State Child Rights Law 2021 as Amended.