The Kebbi State High Court presided over by Justice Shamsudeen Jafar has convicted Amiru Sani, Aliyu Umar, and Bashar Dan-Inno to life imprisonment for raping an 18-year-old married deaf woman.
The Prosecution Counsel, Barrister Faridah Muhammad said the convicts, who were facing two count charges of criminal conspiracy and rape defiled the victim at Wararin Zaromawa Village in Gwandu local government area of the state.
“The convicts had broken into the victim’s household, while she was sleeping, they forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.
“They had choked her with thick piece of clothes as well as tied her two hands with rope before having carnal knowledge of her one after the other,” she said.
The offenses of criminal conspiracy and rape are punishable under Sections 259 and Section 60 of the Kebbi State Penal Code Law, 2021, thus, the counsel prayed the court to convict the defendants under the provision of the law.
The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered six exhibits of both English and Hausa statements of the three prosecution witnesses in support of her case.
The Defence Counsel, Barrister Ahmed Abubakar-Fingila called the three convicts to give evidence without tendering any document or exhibit.
The defense counsel prayed the court to temper justice with mercy to all the defendants during the plea of allocutus.
Justice Jafar pronounced that the court found the defendants guilty of the charges.
He said that the prosecution counsel had established all the ingredients of carnal knowledge of the victim whose name was not disclosed through her collaborated statement and that of the first defendant and found all their evidence not controverted by the defense.
“I am of the firm view that all the defendants conspired in perpetrating the act.
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“Meanwhile, the convicts conspired and raped the victim, who is an 18-year-old deaf and also married woman, at her husband’s residence.
“All ingredients needed to establish a criminal conspiracy to commit rape was established beyond reasonable doubt by the prosecution.
“The court has no option than to act upon the evidence before it.
“Similarly, the court holds the view that it has found the first, second, and third defendants guilty as charged. You are hereby convicted as charged.
“Having found you guilty of the charge, you Amiru Sani, Aliyu Umar and Bashar Dan-Inno, are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment for finding all of you guilty under Section 259 and Section 60 of Kebbi State Penal Code Law, 2021,” he declared.
Justice Jafar, described the offenses as “heinous” and “reprehensible,” noting that the defendants had taken advantage of the victim’s vulnerability.
“This punishment will serve as a deterrent to others who may contemplate committing similar crimes,” he said.
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