A Jigawa State High Court has sentenced one Abubakar Muhd, popularly known as Akuya, to d3ath by hanging for r@ping a 15-year-old boy. The case was filed in March 2022 but was not prosecuted until now, as the trial had been delayed due to various reasons, including the need for additional evidence and witness testimony. According to punch, initially, the case was classified as a sodomy case, but with the new law being implemented in Jigawa State, it was reclassified and charged as r@pe under the new law (Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2012,) which broadened the definition of r@pe to include same-sex rape, allowing for the prosecution to pursue a more severe charge. Delivering the judgment on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice Ado Yusif Birnin-kudu, found Muhd guilty of r@ping a 15-year-old boy from Nomi Village, Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The convict committed the offence contrary to Section 3(1) a&b of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, and punishable under Section 3(2) 4 & 5 of the VAPP Law, 2012, of Jigawa State, Justice Birnin-kudu said. The court also found the convict guilty of having unlawful carnal intercourse with the minor, and subsequently sentenced him to death by hanging. In addition to the d3ath sentence, Justice Ado Yusif Birnin Kudu ordered the convict to pay the sum of Five Million Naira (N5,000,000) as compensation to the victim. Commenting on the judgment, the prosecution counsel led by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Jigawa State Ministry of Justice, Barr. Yahaya Abdullahi stated that the judgment is sound and justly delivered. "This will serve as a strong deterrent to others who might contemplate such heinous crimes, he added. However, Abdullahi commended the state judiciary for its steadfast commitment to justice and the protection of citizens rights. The prosecution counsel, led by Abdullahi, presented strong evidence in court, which led to the conviction of the rapist. Reacting on the sentencing, the Director of Publicity and Protocol, Judiciary, Jigawa State, Abbas Wangara, praised the courts decision, saying it sends a strong message to would-be offenders. The Jigawa State Government reaffirms its commitment to the full implementation of the VAPP Law and other legal instruments designed to protect citizens from all forms of violence, he added. .
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