An Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada, FCT, has sentenced an 18-year old labourer, Abdulraman Saliyu to 15 years imprisonment for defiling a four-year-old girl.
The police charged Saliyu who resides in Dukpa Gwagwalada, FCT with rape.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering judgment, the Judge, Malam Abdullahi Abdulkarim convicted and sentenced Saliyu to 15 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
Abdulkarim ordered the convict to pay N800,000 as compensation to the nominal complainant following an oral application for compensation made by the Prosecution Counsel, Abdullahi Tanko.
“I hereby convict you Abdulraman for the offence of rape punishable under Section 283, the law says that whoever commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment for life or for any less term and shall also be liable to fine.
“In passing out judgment the court taook into consideration the severity of the offence and the age of the victim.
” This judgment will serve as a deterrent to others who want to toll that part in future”, he ruled.
Earlier, Tanko told the court that the matter was reported at the Gwagwalada police station by Mrs Safiyat Musa of same address on May 29.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 282 of the Penal Code.
The Defence Counsel, Mr Okere Chamberline, in his allocutus prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict. (NAN)
