Ahmadu Yaro, a 27 years old man, who raped a three months old baby, about five years ago in Adogi village of Lafia local government area, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison, without the option of fine by Aisha Bashir Aliyu, the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State.
Yaro, who has been standing trial on the matter since June 2020, at the High Court I in Lafia, was apprehended by personnel of the Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC).
Before his arrest in 2020, Yaro was reported to have committed a similar offense and was caught by members of the Adogi community, and was left off the hook without the involvement of security agencies.
“Yaro is believed to be a one-man gang, claiming partial mental disorder, which could not be established.”
The incident had sparked up nationwide outrage, culminating in a conviction after five years of legal proceedings. Yaro will serve the jail term without the option of fine.
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Delivering judgment on the matter in Lafia, the presiding Chief Judge of Nasarawa State, Aisha Bashir-Aliyu, described the act as “barbaric, demonic, and a direct attack on the moral conscience of society.
Bashir-Aliyu said, the sentence would serve as a justice for the victim and a warning to others.
Isaac Danladi, the Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, led the legal team in court, a move that drew widespread commendation.
Danladi welcomed the ruling, said “this is a strong message that Nasarawa has zero tolerance for sexual violence, and Justice has been served.”
He added that, the government under Governor Abdullahi Sule remains committed to supporting survivors and prosecuting offenders of gender-based violence in the state.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mohammed Nda Yako, who witnessed the proceedings, described Danladi’s appearance as “true leadership and an unwavering dedication to justice.”
