The Court of Appeal in Sokoto has sentenced Sani Ibrahim to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting two Qur’anic school pupils, commonly referred to as Almajiris.
In a unanimous ruling delivered by Justice Ebiowei Tobi, the appellate court overturned the lighter sentence initially given by the lower court. The lower court had sentenced Ibrahim to just three years in prison for trespassing, a decision the state contested at the Court of Appeal.
Justice Tobi emphasized that the lower court made an error in disregarding the testimonies of the two victims, identified as PW2 and PW3, which were crucial in convicting Ibrahim of the unnatural offence.
“These were direct eyewitness accounts that should not have been ignored by the lower court,” the judge remarked. He further pointed out that the medical report provided by PW3 confirmed the presence of penetration, reinforcing the case against the accused.
Justice Tobi condemned the act, declaring it a crime against nature. “I hereby set aside the judgment of the lower court and sentence the respondent to life imprisonment,” he concluded.
Reacting to the judgment, Chief State Counsel Barrister Murtala Gidanmadi praised the verdict, expressing confidence that it would serve as a deterrent to others engaging in similar criminal behaviour.
