Ten suspects have been remanded in a correctional facility for raping a 16-year-old girl living with disability in Likoro village, in Kudan Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

It was gathered that the 11th suspect was still at large when the case came up yesterday.

The suspects, according to the First Information Report (FIR) raped the victim continuously at different intervals by deceiving and luring her into their various places where they had canal knowledge with her. The act resulted in pregnancy and the victim gave birth to a baby boy four months ago.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Yakubu I. Lemu, said the act contravened section 257 of the Kaduna State Penal Code.

He said, ?According to the FIR on 27th October, 2024 at 6.30pm, one Usman Yusuf reported that he discovered that his younger sister, Fatima Maikanti, was six months pregnant.

?When questioned, she revealed that at different locations, at different times, the suspects seduced her and lured her into various places in the village and had sexual intercourse with her, as a result, she became pregnant and delivered a baby boy.

?Investigation revealed that each of the suspects had sexual intercourse with the victim at different locations, which contravened section 257 of the Kaduna state Penal Code.?

The trial judge, Justice Abubakar Lamido, said the court is waiting for advice from the Ministry of Justice and ordered the suspects to be remanded at the correctional centre pending the transfer of the case to the high court.

He then adjourned the matter to 22nd May, 2025 for mention.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner, Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, Kaduna state, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, assured that the state government will pursue the case until justice is served.

Giving a brief on the matter, she said, ?The victim was rape continuously when she was 14-years-old after which she became pregnant. Now she has a baby that she cannot take care of because she is also a baby and too small to handle a child.

?The Kaduna state government also has laws that protect women and children and even vulnerable people, the Child Protection and Social Welfare and the Violence Against Persons (VAP) laws as well as the sex offender registry where we register the names of offenders to serve as a deterrent to others.?

She described the case as ?pathetic? saying both the victim?s parents are blind and she also has one eye.

She added, ?The girl has given birth now a child of four months old, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that was handling the case and now retired had silence the case, but with the help of the Commissioner of Police (CP), the case has been reopened as a fresh case because the incident happen over a year now and she has a four month old child.

?The former DPO arrested them and also released them on bail, a capital offense is not supposed to be granted bail, that is why we reopened the case as a fresh case to rearrest them.

She thanked the commissioner of Police and his team for their quick action in re-arresting the suspects and assured that the state will do everything within the ambit of the law to ensure the victim gets justice.

She disclosed that the state government will take care of the social welfare of the child and the mother ?because she is also a child, so they are going to be under our care for their social protection.?

She then sent a firm warning to the general public that the state government will not tolerate any act of abuse, torture and molestation of women, children and especially, people with disability. (Nigerian Tribune)

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