An upper Area Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, on Wednesday sentenced a bricklayer, Emmanuel Attah, 29, of Gidan Zakara, Mararaba, to four years in prison for raping a minor.
The presiding judge, Vincent Gwahemba, handed down the sentence after the convict pleaded guilty to the one-count charge against him.
The prosecutor, Joseph Ahwa, told the court that the matter was reported by one Esther Danjuma, the victim’s grandmother, at the Uke Police Station, Mararaba.
The prosecutor said Attah had seen the 10-year old girl going into the bathroom and tried to lure her with N60 after which he took her to an uncompleted building.
He told the court: “Danjuma said she came in and saw her grand daughter in a pool of her own blood, the girl was in tears while trying to narrate her ordeal.
“I asked her if she knows the uncle who did this to her and she said yes.
“Presently, she is still on bed. She was taken into the theatre and the doctors charged us N350,000 for treatment.”
The convict begged the court for leniency, saying that he was married and had a six-month old daughter.
Ahwa said the offence contravened Section 282 (e) and punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code.
Section 283 of the code states that whoever commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment for life or for any less term, and shall also be liable to fine.
Gwahemba gave the convict no option of fine and ordered him to pay N100,000 compensation to the victim.
The judge stated that the offence of rape had become very rampant and he wanted the sentence to serve as a deterrent to any one with such intentions.