Armstrong Bakam, Bauchi

A man, Rabo Muhammadu, of Guggu Village in Nabordo District of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has been dragged to Court by the Ministry of Justice in the state for alleged kidnapping and raping a married woman several times.

He was arraigned before Justice Aliyu Baba Usman of the Bauchi State High Court Number Four on Thursday.

The Deputy Director in Charge of Litigations in the Ministry, Sabiu Gumba, told the Court that the offence was contrary to section 3 (1) and section 10 of the kidnapping law and punishable under section 11 of the kidnapping, theft of cattle and rape special provision law 2017.

Statements before Police investigators which were filed in the court by the counsel to the husband of the kidnapped woman, Yusuf Lawan, said three men armed with guns and dangerous weapons abducted the woman.

They alleged that before taking the woman away, the gunmen who covered their faces with veils demanded one million naira from her husband. When he could not give them, they kidnapped his wife to an unknown destination and dropped the telephone number 09073602385 for negotiation.

Lawan said in the process of collecting the ransom, one of the accused persons, a neighbour to the victim was arrested while the other suspects ran away.

The Victim, Maryam Yusuf, in her statement said when she was kidnapped, she was taken to Yuga Forest where all the three suspected kidnappers raped her severally.

The woman, a mother of four children, claimed that she was able to recognize one of the kidnappers who is their neighbour.

When the case was mentioned, the accused pleaded not guilty to all the two-count charges.

The presiding Judge, Justice Aliyu Usman, adjourned the case to March 8, 2021, for trial. (The Punch)

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