A 27-year-old man Abdulhameed Ahmed has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja for raping and impregnating a minor having been found him guilty of the crime following his arraignment in 2024 on one count.
Penpushing reports that the prosecution told the court that Ahmed raped the minor four times in Angwan Fulani, Aso Lugbe, Abuja, between January 2022 and January 2023 after allegedly luring the girl, promising to gift her a mobile phone.
The convict was charged under section 31 of the Child’s Rights Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which criminalises having a sexual intercourse with a child, while the provision clarifies that when a person is charged under this section, it is immaterial that the offender believed the person to be of or above the age of 18 years; or that the sexual intercourse was with the consent of the child.
Penpushing further reports that it prescribes life imprisonment for the offender upon conviction, while the defence counsel, Oluwatobilola Akinbiyi, argued that the defendant had expressed the desire to enter into an emotional relationship with the victim without any criminal intent.
The defence counsel pointed out that under Islamic laws, marriage to any lady past puberty was acceptable, however, the prosecution counsel, Ammeh Ammeh, faulted the Islamic law defence relied on by the defendants.
Penpushing also reports that Ammeh argued that the defence did not apply to the case of impregnating a minor and that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is not governed by Sharia law, noting that according to Section 21(1) of the Child’s Rights Act, a girl below 18 is prohibited from marriage.
The trial judge, Justice Sylvanus Oriji agreed with the prosecution’s case, holding that the defendant did not just have sexual intercourse with the girl, but did so with her as of the time she was underage.
Penpushing reports that the judge found Ahmed, guilty of raping the girl, who was 15 years old as of the time of the incident, stressing that the prosecution proved the elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
“The prosecution proved the elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt. There is no evidence that it is proper or permissible under Islamic law for a man to have sexual intercourse with a child or minor before marriage’ Oriji ruled.
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