A man who raped his neighbour’s 10-year-old child has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment and ordered to pay N250,000 in compensation to the victim.
He was also given 20 lashes of Cain in public.
The man, identified as Aliyu Bala, was found guilty of raping the girl by a magistrate’s court in Minna.
After the judgment, the authorities took Bala to the Hakimi Palace in Bosso, where he was publicly flogged in the presence of community members.
The Director-General of the Niger State Child Rights Agency, Ummul-Kalthume Muhammad, described the development as an unprecedented step to show that the government does not take sexual offences against minors lightly.
She said the public enforcement was intended to send a strong warning to anyone who thinks they can abuse children and escape justice, while calling on communities to stop protecting and shielding people who commit such offences.
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Initially, the victim’s mother considered withdrawing the case because of pressures from families and the community but later decided to allow the legal process to continue after understanding the importance of seeking justice for the child and holding the accused accountable.
The Hakimi of Bosso, Muazu Adamu said this is the first time he has witnessed such a judgment in Minna, adding that it will serve as a strong deterrent to anyone who contemplates such a crime in the future.
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(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
