Bauchi Govt Secures Six Convictions in Rape Cases

Bauchi Govt Secures Six Convictions in Rape Cases

By Segun Awofadeji

The Bauchi State Government through the state Ministry of Justice has disclosed that it has so far secured six convictions on rape cases with another 18 cases pending in courts.

The Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Aliyu Bin Idris, disclosed this last weekend during a capacity training for key stakeholders in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) held in Bauchi.

Giving a breakdown of the convictions, Idris said: “The court of appeal had affirmed the judgement in the case of Shamsuddeen Adamu aka Duna v. state CA/J/76/C/2020, convicted for rape and sentenced to lifetime imprisonment.

“Also, Abbas Usman, aka Gero v. state CA/J/75/C/ 2020, was convicted for the offence of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment, while Al-Amin Yunusa, aka Maka v. state CA/18/C/2020, was convicted for the offence of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment.”

He further disclosed that the high court had also passed judgement on the following convicts in state v. Salisu Haruna BA/45/C/2018, and convicted him for attempted rape and act of gross indecency

Also, in the state v. AbdulKarim Sani BA/51/C/2018, he was convicted in an attempted rape and act of gross indecency, and state v. Shamsudeen Adamu as well as two others in BA/23/C/2018, and convicted for rape, and consequently sentenced to life imprisonments.

Idris also said 18 rape cases are now pending and ongoing in court, and that two more would be forwarded to the ministry on October 26, 2020, for legal advice.

Idris commended the organisers of the training for their foresight in bringing together key stakeholders focused on SGBV, stressing that: “The menace of rape and other gender-based violence should be of concern for all. Bauchi State government under the present administration has created the enabling environment for the prosecution of offenders.

“The onus now lies with the community, where such crimes are perpetrated and the police to help us in ensuring that the state secure convictions through successful prosecution of offenders.”

While speaking on the general management of rape cases, state Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Fatima Abubakar, enumerated some key responsibilities of the community in assisting the police and courts towards prosecuting offenders.

She said: “Communities should be educated on the need to report such cases as soon as it happens, and also not to tamper with anything on the body of the victim until when all evidences are established by the authorities.”

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