Sokoto Court Frees Men Of Rape Charges

Sokoto State High Court has discharged and acquitted seven married men accused of serially raping a minor in the state.

The presiding judge, Justice Malami Umar Dogon Daji, held that the prosecutionhas failed to prove the case of criminal conspiracy and rape against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt as required by the law.

Malami rejected their confessional statements tendered and admitted earlier on ground that they were obtained by duress.

Althrough, the court agreed with the evidence of the girl but held that, at law, unsworn evidence of minor before it could only be used to convict an accused person when it was corroborated by different evidence.

The court also held that it could not rely on the medical report which showed that, the private part of the girl was tampered with on the ground that, all efforts made to summon the medical doctor who signed the report proved abortive.

Justice Malami noted that the case had suffered a number of adjournments at the doctor’s instance.

He said from the time the alleged rape took place and the time the police officers took the minor to one Nana Khadija Centre from the evidence before the court, it took about three months.

However, counsel to the girl, Mansur Aliyu said they were trying to obtain a copy of the judgement before deciding on the next line of action after consulting the Attorney General of the state.