A federal high court sitting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, has sentenced Yunusa Dahiru to 26 years imprisonment over the abduction, rape and impregnating of a teenage girl, Ese Oruru.
In 2015, 13-year-old Oruru was abducted, raped and impregnated by Yunusa Dahiru, a man presumably old enough to be her father.
The man later took her away to Kano State where she was later rescued in the palace of the Emir of Kano.
Yunusa was subsequently arrested and arraigned at the Federal High Court Yenagoa in charge No FHC/YNG/17c/2016 on a five-count charge of criminal abduction, illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor.
The charges against Yunusa read: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru, a male, resident in Opolo-Eipie area of Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, conspired with the duo of Dankano Mohammed and Mallam Alhassan, between August 2015 and February 2016, to commit an offence of abduction and thereby committed offence punishable under section 27(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”
Count two: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru, abducted Ese Oruru by means of coercion, transported and harboured her in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 13(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”
Count three: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru induced Ese Oruru by the use of deception and coercion to go with you from Yenagoa to Kano State with the intent that she be forced or seduced into illicit intercourse and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”
Count four: “That you, Yunusa Dahiru, procured Ese Oruru and subjected her to sexual exploitation in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.”
Count five: “That you, Yinusa Dahiru, had unlawful carnal knowledge of Ese Oruru without her consent and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 357 of the criminal code Act and punishable under section 358 of the Criminal code ACT, Cap. C.38 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Delivering her judgement, Thursday, Justice Jane Inyang,acquitted the accused on the first count but convicted Dahiru on the remaining four charges.
She sentenced Yunusa to five years in prison for count 2, seven years in prison for count 3,4 and 5 respectively, noting that the prison terms are to be served consecutively.
Yunusa, who appeared in court in handcuffs in a green and white shirt and bathroom slippers, broke down in court after the sentencing, and murmured that he was “treated this way because he is a Muslim”.
Reacting to the judgement, the father of Ese Oruru, Mr. Charles Oruru, said: ” I am very happy with today’s judgement, I believe that this will serve as a deterrent to those engaged in trafficking people’s children. I thank God that the truth has prevailed and I thank God for giving the Judge the strength to deliver this judgement, all my suffering has not been in vain.”
In her reaction, the counsel to the Oruru’s family and immediate past Vice-Chairman of International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Bayelsa State Chapter, Barr (Mrs) Deme Pamosoo, described the judgement as ” just judgement” and commended the judiciary for doing its best to give a good judgement”, adding that it will serve as a deterrent to paedophiles.
