Kano court jails man 20 years for raping 85-year-old woman

A Kano State High Court has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Muhammad Zulfalalu, popularly known as “Mai Siket”, to 20 years imprisonment for raping an 85-year-old woman in Kiru Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Aisha Mahmoud delivered the judgment after finding the defendant guilty of a nine-count charge bordering on rape and housebreaking, holding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court sentenced Zulfalalu to 20 years imprisonment for rape and an additional six years for housebreaking. Both sentences are to run concurrently. The court also awarded N500,000 compensation to the victim.

According to the prosecution counsel, Aisha Adamu, the offences were committed between August 2019 and June 2020 at Gidan Kwano, Kwanar Dangora, in Kiru LGA.

Adamu told the court that the convict unlawfully entered the victim’s residence at night and sexually assaulted her. She further alleged that Zulfalalu, widely known in the area as “Mai Siket”, had been involved in a pattern of breaking into homes during nighttime before his eventual arrest.

The prosecution presented six witnesses in support of its case and argued that the offences contravened Sections 283 and 356 of the Penal Code.

Reacting to the verdict, Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Maude (SAN), described the conviction as a significant milestone in the state’s efforts to combat sexual and gender-based violence.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Dr Abubakar Ibrahim, Maude said the judgment would strengthen public confidence in the justice system and demonstrate the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society.

He commended the prosecution team for its dedication and professionalism in securing the conviction, noting that the outcome reflected the effectiveness of the state’s justice system.