Former chief pharmacist sentenced to life for rape

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) commended the judiciary for a “historic verdict” resulting in the conviction and life imprisonment of Dr. Abubakar Danraka for rape (sodomy) under Section 1 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015. Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi, the Director-General of NAPTIP, expressed her appreciation for the significant judgment.

On Monday, a High Court in the Federal Capital Territory, Kubwa, Abuja, presided over by Justice A. Akanbi-Yusuf, found Danraka, a former Chief Pharmacist of the National Hospital, Abuja, and Senior Special Adviser (Technical) to the Director of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, guilty of the charges.

According to Vincent Adekoye, NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Danraka was arrested on March 27, 2020, for sexually assaulting a minor neighbor residing in the same estate in Abuja. The statement disclosed that he “enticed the victim into his apartment, where he administered a stupefying drink and engaged in anal intercourse.” The suspect faced charges filed on August 9, 2021, and was arraigned on April 5, 2022, where he pleaded “not guilty.”

However, Adekoye noted that “The prosecution team from NAPTIP conclusively established the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, leading to the judgment on September 18, 2023.”

The verdict on Monday concluded a three-year controversy surrounding this high-profile case. In response to the judgment, NAPTIP’s Director-General commended the unwavering commitment of the judiciary in upholding justice under the VAPP Act.