Court remands painter for ‘raping’ girl, 17

A Magistrates’ Court in Minna, Niger State, on Thursday ordered that a painter, Zubairu Apaila, be remanded in prison, for allegedly raping a 17-year-old girl.

The police charged Apaila, 23, with three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a child; exposure of a child to narcotics and prohibition of a child from attending and remaining in school.

Magistrate Mariam Kings ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison, due to the gravity of the offence.

Kings adjourned the case till June 11, for further mention.

Prosecuting Inspector Aliyu Yakubu had told the court that the mother of the victim, Mrs. Talatu Manga of Rafin Yashi, Minna, reported the matter at the Child’s Rights Agency, which later referred the matter to the police on May 17.

He said the complainant alleged that the defendant lured her daughter, 17, into his room at Tudun Fulani and raped her.

Yakubu noted that during police investigation, the police discovered that from January to date, the defendant had introduced the girl to smoking cigarettes.

He alleged that the defendant also stopped the victim from going to school during the period.

The offence, he said, contravened sections 18 (2), 14 (2) and 17 (3) of the Child Rights Law of Niger State 2010.

The prosecutor prayed the court for an adjournment to enable police complete investigations into the matter.

Apaila, however, pleaded not guilty.