A Kano State High Court has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Muhammad Zulfalalu, to 20 years imprisonment for raping an 85-year-old woman.
Key Highlights:
Zulfalalu, a resident of Gidan Kwano, Kwanar Dangora, in Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State, was convicted on a nine-count charge bordering on rape and housebreaking.
Delivering judgment, Justice Aisha Mahmoud held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The court sentenced the convict to 20 years imprisonment for rape and six years for housebreaking, with both sentences to run concurrently.
The judge also awarded N500,000 compensation to the victim.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Aisha Adamu, told the court that Zulfalalu committed the offences between August 2019 and June 2020 in Gidan Kwano.
She said the convict unlawfully entered the victim’s residence at night and raped her.
The prosecutor further told the court that Zulfalalu had been linked to a pattern of breaking into homes at night before his arrest.
Adamu presented six witnesses to establish the prosecution’s case, noting that the offences contravened Sections 283 and 356 of the Penal Code.
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Reacting to the judgment, Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Maude (SAN), described the conviction as a major step towards strengthening the fight against sexual and gender-based violence in the state.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Abubakar Ibrahim, the attorney-general said the verdict reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and ensuring justice for victims of abuse.
He commended the prosecution team for its dedication and professionalism, assuring that the state government would continue to support effective justice delivery.
Maude warned that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence would face the full weight of the law, adding that the government remained committed to promoting accountability and safeguarding citizens.
