By Tobi Soniyi in Abuja
For defiling an 11-year old girl, Corporal Isah Ahmed of the Nigerian Army Headquarters Garrison would do four years in jail, the Supreme Court has held.
The court in a unanimous judgment of five justices upheld the conviction and four years jail sentence handed to the soldier Ahmed at a General Court Marshal.
The court held that the General Court Marshal and the Court of Appeal, Abuja division (to which Ahmed had appealed) were right in convicting and sentencing him to four years’ imprisonment.
The appeal marked: SC/223/2013 was filed by Ahmed of Nigerian Army Headquarters Garrison.
Ahmed was arraigned in 2005 before the General Court Marshal on a one-count charge of defilement contrary to Section 78 of the Armed Forces Act CAP A 20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
He was charged with having carnal knowledge of the 11-year old (name withheld) between January 4 and March 5, 2005.
Ahmed, who was said to be a neighbour and family friend of the victim, was said to have lured the girl into his apartment, in his wife’s absence, by asking the girl to buy soft drink for him.
The military court sat at the Officers’ Mess, Mogadishu Contonment, Abuja.
At the end of its sitting, the Court Marshal, in its judgment on August 29, 2005 found Ahmed guilty of the charge and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.
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