A Kano State High Court has sentenced a local football coach, Hayatu Mohammed, to eight years imprisonment for sodomising one of his players on two different occasions.
Mohammed, a resident of Sanka Quarters in Dala Local Government Area, was found guilty on two counts of sexual assault after the court held that the prosecution had successfully established the case against him.
Delivering judgment, the presiding judge ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, leaving the court with no option but to convict the defendant.
According to court proceedings, Prosecuting Counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Arif Garba, called five witnesses, including the victim, who gave detailed accounts of how the assaults occurred at different locations within Kano.
Justice further held that the evidence tendered was consistent, credible, and corroborated, adding that the defendant’s actions were in clear violation of Section 284 of the Penal Code Law, which criminalises unnatural offences in the state.
“The prosecution has satisfactorily established that the defendant committed the offence as charged. This court finds him guilty and sentences him to four years imprisonment on each count, to run consecutively,” the judge ruled.
The total sentence amounts to eight years behind bars without an option of fine.
The case has continued to attract public attention in Kano, with residents and legal observers commending the court for what they described as a “bold and deterrent judgment.”
A resident of Dala, who spoke to PLATFORM TIMES, said the ruling should serve as a warning to others who prey on young and vulnerable athletes.
“This judgment is a relief for parents and young players. It shows that justice can still be served no matter the social status of the offender,” the resident said.
Mohammed was subsequently remanded in prison custody to serve his term.
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