The death penalty has been approved by the Jigawa State government for the rape of any child under the age of ten in the state.
Dr. Musa Adamu, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, announced the law at a press conference in Dutse on Thursday, saying it would take effect immediately.
“Anyone found guilty of raping a child under the age of ten will be sentenced to death with no other option,” he said.
“Earlier this year, Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar signed the Violence Against Children Prohibition Bill, which stipulated that rapists face the death penalty with the option of life imprisonment.
“However, the government recently signed a child protection law, which stipulates that anyone who rapes a child under the age of ten faces the death penalty.”
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The state Justice Ministry had received 196 case diaries, according to the commissioner, and 178 pieces of legal advice had been prepared in response to the case diaries.
“Of the total number of case diaries, 90 were rape cases, 27 culpable homicides, 31 cases of sodomy, 18 cases of kidnapping and abduction, two cases of incest, two acts of gross indecency, 20 armed robberies, and two cases of road traffic offenses,” Adamu added.
“The ministry has prosecuted and defended a total of 25 appeals before the Kano Division of the Court of Appeal.” We’ve also finished 83 criminal trials in eight High Courts, including Birnin Kudu, Dutse, Gumel Hadejia, Kazaure, and Ringim. We were successful in obtaining 34 convictions, while 49 defendants were released or acquitted.”
