A Jigawa State High Court has sentenced Abubakar Muhd, popularly known as Akuya, to death by hanging for raping a 15-year-old boy, and ordered him to pay N5 million in compensation to the victim
The case, filed in March 2022, faced delays as prosecutors awaited additional evidence and witness testimonies. Initially classified as sodomy, the offence was redefined under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2012, which criminalises same-sex rape and allows for harsher penalties.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Hon. Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-Kudu said Muhd committed a “heinous crime against a minor,” contravening Sections 3(1)(a)&(b) and punishable under Sections 3(2), 4 & 5 of the VAPP Law.
“The convict’s actions are a serious breach of the law and moral decency,” Justice Birnin-Kudu said, describing the ruling as a strong deterrent to others who might contemplate such crimes.
Barr. Yahaya Abdullahi, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Jigawa State Ministry of Justice, hailed the verdict as “sound and justly delivered,” commending the state judiciary for its unwavering commitment to justice.
Abbas Wangara, Director of Publicity and Protocol for the Judiciary, stated that the ruling sends a strong message to would-be offenders and reiterated the state government’s commitment to fully implementing the VAPP Law to protect citizens from violence.
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