3 Minors Arraigned For Allegedly Raping 11-year-old girl In North-central Nigeria
The defendants were arrested and confessed to committing the crime during the course of police investigation.
Three minors in Benue State, North-central Nigeria were on Monday, Nov. 1, arraigned before a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court by the state Police Command for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl.
Godwin Ato, the Police Prosecutor, told the court that the three minors resided in the same address at North-Bank area of Makurdi.
Ato stated that the State Criminal Investigation Department, Makurdi from ‘C’ Divisional Police Headquarters, received the case via a letter dated Oct. 27, 2021.
According to a Guardian report, Ato told the court that one Mrs Grace Shula residing Behind Ambassador Hotel, North-Bank, Makurdi, had made a report to the police station that her 11-year-old daughter had been raped.
He also alleged that the complainant had on Oct. 21, sent her daughter to buy torch light batteries for her when the three defendants dragged the 11-year-old to one primary school and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.
Ato said the defendants were arrested and confessed to committing the crime during the course of police investigation, adding that the defendants also named another 12-year-old boy now on the run as an accomplice.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 97 and 284 of the Penal Code Law of Benue, 2004.
However, Vincent Kor, the Magistrate, refused taking the plea of the defendants because of their status as minors.
Kor ordered a transfer of the case to the Juvenile Court, Makurdi, and adjourned the case until Nov. 4, 2021 for mention.
He also ordered that the defendants be returned to police custody pending their re-arraignment at the Juvenile Court.
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