Farmer, 32, admits raping 78-yr-old woman in Niger

A chief magistrate’s court in Minna, Niger State, has ordered the remand in prison custody of a 32-year-old farmer, Rilwanu Salisu, after he pleaded guilty to the charge of raping a 78-year-old woman.

According to the police prosecutor, Mr Daniel Ikwoche, the victim’s son, Mukhtar Garba, reported the matter at the Nasko Police Station on Sept. 14.

Ikwoche quoted the complainant as alleging that the accused person, a resident of Kwada village in Magama Local Government Area, entered into the room of his mother, while she was asleep, and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.

He further quoted the complainant as saying that the victim sustained injuries in her private part and was bleeding.

When the charge was read to the accused person, he pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.

However, the presiding chief magistrate, Nasiru Muazu, declined to take the plea of the accused person because his court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Muazu directed the police to forward a duplicate copy of the case file to the State Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

He, thereafter, ordered the accused person to be remanded in prison custody pending the outcome of the advice, and adjourned the case to Oct. 25, for further mention. (NAN)