Man Given Life Imprisonment For R*ping 8-Year-Old*

The Delta State High Court of Justice, sitting in Asaba and presided over by Honourable Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro, has convicted and sentenced Idris Hassan, a 35-year-old man, to life imprisonment for raping an 8-year-old girl.

The defendant was prosecuted in court on a single count of rape, punishable under Section 218 of the Delta State Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Vol. 1 Laws of 2006.

Hassan was accused of having illegal carnal knowledge of a minor on August 22, 2022

He entered a not-guilty plea to the case.

Six witnesses and the defendant’s submitted confessional statement were called by the prosecution, which was led by Mrs Patricia Uche Akamagwuna, Director of Sexual Offenses, Domestic Violence, and Children’s Rights Unit at the Delta State Ministry of Justice.

Read Also: 16-Year-Old Girl Commits Sucide After Being Raped

The man, who serves as the neighbour’s gateman, allegedly enticed the survivor to come over and “take biscuits” when she was at home with her two older siblings, according to the prosecution.

The defendant pressed himself on her when she arrived. The defendant was caught in the act by the victim’s next-door neighbour, who then called the Nigerian Police ‘B’ Division, Asaba, who then took him into custody.

In his defence, the defendant rejected the charge and repudiated the confessional statement, claiming that he and the survivor had no sexual contact.

In his decision, Honourable Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro stated that he believed the prosecution’s evidence and that the prosecution had proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Following that, the defendant was convicted and sentenced to life in prison by the court.

Mrs P. U. Akamagwuna, Director of Sexual Offenses, spoke to the newsman and praised the judges for delivering a well-reasoned decision.

According to her, the Ministry of Justice will keep upholding the zero-tolerance policy and continue to prosecute, name, and shame any individual found guilty of sexual offences within the state and its territory.

The defendant, Idris Hassan, has been listed in the national database and the Delta State Sex Offenders Register.

This complies with the terms of the Delta State Violence Against Prohibition Persons Laws, 2020.