A military court-martial in Maiduguri, Borno State has dismissed a soldier and sentenced him to five years in prison for raping a 13-year-old girl and attempting to kill her.
The soldier, Corporal Aliyu Yakubu, with service number NA/2009/0263, was on July 13, 2020, arraigned before the 7-Division general court-martial on a two-count charge bothering on defilement and assault against the girl in Bama town.
According to the prosecutor, Mr Yakubu on July 1, 2018, dragged the teenager to an uncompleted building in Bama where he assaulted her before he raped her.
The victim told the court that she was raped by the soldier when she was leaving her aunt’s house for her mother’s.
The soldier reportedly sighted her and followed her until he caught up with her.
Aliyu Yakubu was said to have committed the offence while serving in 202 Battalion in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
Judge-Advocate, Aminu Mairuwa, a captain, quoted the girl as saying;
He asked where I was going to, and I told him I was going home, he then held my hand and asked me to follow him. He dragged her to an uncompleted building behind the old prison and covered her mouth with her hijab as she was shouting for help.
He brought out a knife and threatened to kill her; after he had naked her and could not penetrate her, he asked if she had ever had sex before, and the girl said no. He then forced his penis into her.
Mairuwa added;
After he had done raping her, he used a piece of a block to hit her head and then left unconscious.
The judge advocate said the girl later regained consciousness and cried out for help.
After she was taken to the hospital, where she regained full consciousness, the teenager was able to identify the soldier who raped her.
The court said investigating officials of the police and military found evidence at the scene of the crime which indicted the soldier.
The judge advocate said the soldier’s dog-tag which bore his credential, was found at the scene of the crime.
The accused soldier, who denied the allegation, stated that he was not in Bama on the day the girl was raped. He told the court that he was in Maiduguri on June 31 to see a doctor over his ill health; a claim the court said was false as June has 30 days.
The soldier also claimed that he could not travel to Maiduguri after he had obtained a medical referral on June 30 because there was no vehicle; adding that he had to leave the next day, which he said was June 31.
The court-martial later delivered its judgment after members of the court had reviewed the ruling that indicted the soldier.
The corporal who was sentenced then on September 30 after two years of investigation and trial, was found guilty of both charges based on the evidence presented before the court.
The judgement is however subject to confirmation by a confirming authority as the military high command will still have to confirm/uphold the judgement.
