A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Minna, Niger state has sentenced two Islamic Clerics to 22 years imprisonment by for raping four girls.
The Clerics, who are also brothers, Hassan Bilyaminu and Abdullahi Biliyaminu were said to have raped the minors who were under their tutelage in their Islamic School located in Minna.
The suspects were convicted on two counts charges which include sexual assault and act of gross indecency.
The Court, presided by Chief Magistrate Hauwa Baba Yusuf lamented that the incident would leave a permanent and gruesome memory in the minds of the little girls.
She wondered what rapists derived from assaulting and defiling little girls saying that it should no longer be condoned.
“One wonders what people like the convicts derived from assaulting and defiling little girls. This has gone berserk; there must be more to this pandemic of sexual assault on little children.”
The suspect, when reading the charges, pleaded guilty asking the Magistrate to tamper her justice with mercy saying that they were tempted by the devil.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) which was read in court by the Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Bello Mohammed, the offences committed by the suspects were punishable under Section 285 of the penal code law, as well as Section 19 (2) of the Child’s Right Law of Niger State, 2010.
The charge read, “That on the 2nd of August, 2020, one Lawal Idris of Tudun Nasira Area of Maitumbi in Minna, represented three others, and reported that on 31st of July, 2020, you Hassan Bilyaminu and Abdullahi Bilyamiu lured four of the girls whose ages ranges between 6 and 11 years-old pupils of your Islamiya, into your house and used your finger to rub and inserted it into the minors’ vagina one after the other.
“During the police investigation, you confessed to the commission of the crime. You are hereby suspected to have committed the above offences.”
