She’s my girlfriend, says man accused of abducting, raping 12-year-old

A 27-year-old man, Lawal Abubakar, on Tuesday told a Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja, that a 12-year-old girl he allegedly abducted was his girlfriend.

‎Abubakar of Byazhin, Kubwa, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to charges of abduction and gross indecency of a minor levelled against him but said the 12-year-old was his girlfriend.

He told the court that the girl came to his house to inform him that her parents had travelled.
He said he took her back to her parent’s house, discovered that they were not around, and decided to keep her in his house for two days.

Abubakar further admitted having sexual intercourse with the minor while she was in his place.
The Judge, Mohammed Marafa, convicted him and ordered that he be remanded in police custody.
Marafa adjourned the case until December 21 for sentencing.

The Prosecutor, Babajide Olanipekun, had told the court that one Abah Timothy of Byazhin Across, Kubwa, Abuja, reported the matter at the Kubwa Police Station on December 12.

Olanipekun said that the convict tricked the complainant’s 12-year-old daughter ‎by inducement to his house and kept her for three days.

He further said Abubakar had sexual intercourse with the minor, adding that the offence contravened Sections 272 and 285 of the Penal Code.

The defence counsel, Moses Ugwummadu, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
He said however that the parents of the girl were negligent to stay for days without knowing the whereabouts of their 12-year-old daughter.


(NAN)