The dismissed palace guard in Zazzau Emirate Council of Kaduna State and his friends who lured an unsuspecting lady to a secret location and raped her in Zaria, Kaduna State, have been convicted by a court of law.

Reports from Zaria said that the Chief Magistrates Court sitting at Chediya GRA Zaria, Kaduna State, sentenced the Zazzau palace guard and three others to one-year imprisonment each or an alternative of a fine of N50,000 each.

While delivering judgment on Thursday, the Chief Magistrate, Abubakar Lamido said the court was satisfied with the confessional statement made in the Police report which was admitted as exhibits.

However, the “court has not found the defendants with any criminal case before any court of law, hence they are to serve 12 calendar months instead of 24 months in the correctional center or a fine of N50,000 each.”

Journalists were told that the men, including the dismissed palace guard, appeared before a Chief Magistrates’ Court in Zaria, Kaduna State, over alleged adultery and criminal conspiracy on the 11^th of January 2023 for committing the offence which contravened Sections 59 and 368 of the Kaduna State Law 2017.

The convicts are Ismaila Abubakar (Dismissed Palace Guard), Hussaini Abubakar and Kabiru Shuaibu and Nafiu Kabiru. Ibrahim Abdullahi was earlier freed when the Court discovered that he was innocent.

It could be recalled that the Zazzau Emirate Council in Kaduna State dismissed the palace guard over the alleged rape of a lady in January.

The lady was said to have sought to see the Emir for assistance through the palace guard but was taken elsewhere where she was allegedly raped.

The Media and Publicity Officer of the Zazzau Emirate, Abdullahi Aliyu Kwarbai in a statement, stated that “Zazzau Emirate Council under the Emir of Zazzau, His Highness Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR has ordered for the immediate dismissal of Sama’ila Abubakar Rimin Tsiwa (One of the Palace Guard, Dogari) from the Services of the Emirate.”

“A lady preparing for her wedding seeking assistance from the Emir approached him (Sama’ila), to be taken before the Emir but instead of doing that, he lured her to a location with his friends where they gang-raped her.

“The Council has directed the Police to speed up with their investigations and ensure prosecution of the culprits without any delay.”

The Zazzau Emirate Council had also promised to follow up with the case and ensure justice was done to the lady.

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