An Upper Area Court 3 sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos, on Wednesday sentenced two students, Halidu Musa, 15, and Ayuba Shuaibu, 17, to six months imprisonment each for raping a minor.
The judge, Yahaya Mohammed, said that the light sentence on the four-count charge was meant to serve as deterrent to others who would want to indulge in such vice.
Mr. Mohammed said that for a crime of criminal conspiracy, the accused persons would serve one year imprisonment or pay N3000 each; for a crime of trespass, they would serve one year imprisonment or pay a fine of N3000 each; for abduction, six months without a fine and for rape, six months without a fine.
Earlier, the prosecutor, A. Edwin, had told the court that the case was reported on February 6 to the state CID by one Idris Ladan of Bokkos.
Mr. Edwin said that the accused broke into the house in the night and abducted the 12-year-old girl into the bush and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.
‘’The victim’s father heard her scream and ran into her room and found it empty, the whole neighbourhood looked for the girl that night, but surprisingly she came back home around 6.00 in the morning ,” Mr. Edwin explained.
On arraignment, the accused persons pleaded guilty and begged the court for mercy.
‘’We are sorry, it was three of us that committed the crime, the third person is at large, we will never rape anyone again,’’ they pleaded.(NAN)
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