Jigawa approves death penalty for child rapists

Death penalty has being approved by the Jigawa State government for child rapists.

This simply means that any rapists convicted for raping a child below 10 will be sentenced to death without the option of life imprisonment.

The state Commissioner for Justice and the Attorney General, Dr Musa Adamu made this known in an announcement at a press briefing on Wednesday December 29.

Adamu said;

“Earlier this year the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, signed the Violence Against Prohibition Bill which prescribed the death penalty for rapists but with the option of life imprisonment. But recently the government has also signed the child protection law which prescribed the death penalty for anyone that raped a child below the age of 10.

“Out of the total number of the case diaries, 90 were rape cases; 27 culpable homicides; sodomy has 31; kidnapping and abduction have a total number of 18 cases; incest two; 2 acts of gross indecency; 20 armed robberies while road traffic offences have two cases.

“The ministry has prosecuted and defended a total number of 25 appeals before Court of Appeal, Kano Division, and has also completed the prosecution of 83 criminal trials before eight High Courts at Birnin Kudu, Dutse, Gumel Hadejia, Kazaure and Ringim. 34 convictions and Forty-Nine 49 defendants were discharged and acquitted.”