In Sokoto, a man was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping a three-year-old girl.

In Sokoto, a man was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping a three-year-old girl.

FastNews reports that a federal high court in Sokoto, Sokoto State, presided over by Justice James Kolawole Omotosho, sentenced a 20-year-old man, Yashua’u Shehu of Atakwanyo village, to ten years in prison for raping a three-year-old girl, according to NaijaCover.

According to NaijaCover, the convict from Atakwanyo village, Kware Local Government Area, GA Sokoto state, was also fined N500,000 as compensation to the victim.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho decried sexual exploitation, especially of minors, which he said had become rampant in the North and appealed to parents and governments to rise up in defense of “these vulnerable children.”

The judge, who noted that “it is the duty of all of us to put a stop to the menace of sexual exploitation,” said the case marked FHC/ S/22C/2021 was brought by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Sokoto Zonal Command.

The charge, according to Justice Omotosho, read: “That you, 20-year old Yushua’u Shehu (M) of Atakwanyo, Kware Area, Kware Local Government of Sokoto State, around 04:00 pm on or about May 27, 2021, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, procured one (name withheld), three-year old female of the Minanata area of Sokoto State, took her to one Hajiya’s house close to Minanata area, Sokoto State, and you subjected her to sexual exploitation with yourself, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015”.

Justice Omotosho premised his judgment on complaints from the parents of the victim, medical examination obtained from Nana Khadija Sexual Referral Centre as well as testimonies of two prosecution witnesses.

He said the testimonies included that of Dr Auwal Musa, the medical officer that examined the girl, which proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had carnal knowledge of the minor.

A 20-year old man, identified as Yashua’u Shehu of Atakwanyo village in Kware LGA of Sokoto State has been convicted and sentenced to 10-years imprisonment for raping a 3 years old girl (name withheld) in Sokoto without option of fine and also handed a five hundred thousand (500,000.00) naira fine as compensation to the survivor.

Delivering his judgment at the Federal High Court, Sokoto, Justice James Kolawole Omotosho decried that incidences of sexual exploitation, especially of minors has become disturbingly rampant in the north, hence, appealing to parents and governments at all levels to rise up in defense of these vulnerable children.