A 58-year-old man, Ya’u Ibrahim, was arraigned before the Angwan Senior Magistrate Court in Minna, Niger State for defiling a six-year-old girl.
Ya’u Ibrahim of Kundu village in Rafi Local Government Area of the state, was arraigned in court on two counts charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and exploitation.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Aliyu Yakubu Kuta, said the offences contravened sections 26 (2) and 27 (2) of the Niger Child Rights and Protection Law of Niger State 2021 as amended.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR), “one Abdullahi Dauda, of Kundu village in Rafi local government area had reported to the Kagara Divisional Police Command that the defendant of the same address lured his six years old granddaughter to his room and sexually abused her,”
The prosecutor explained that during the police investigation, the 58-year-old defendant confessed and admitted to the police that he had sexual intercourse with the six-year-old child in his room.
When the charges were read to the defendant by the presiding Senior Magistrate Wuse, he pleaded guilty to the two-count charge and pleaded for leniency.
However, the police prosecutor objected to the bail application due to the “heinous and capital nature” of the offences and objected to a summary judgment.
“My Lord, I will not allow the conviction of the defendant on summary trial. I urge the court to commence full trial into the case to enable the court to take witnesses before arriving at the nature of judgements he deserves in accordance with the amended Child Right Law of Niger State,” the prosecutor said.
Aligning with the submission of the Prosecutor on the matter, the Presiding Magistrate, Hafsat Abdul Bawa, declared that the offence for which the defendant is standing trial for is grievous in nature and ordered him to be remanded in a correctional facility.
“Let’s get the police investigating officer’s report, the accused statement to the police and his admittance in court for the court to arrive at passing heavy punishment on him to serve as a deterrent to others,” she said.
She adjourned the case to September 11, 2023.