3 men allegedly rape street hawkers in Katsina

Three men, identified as Shitu Sale, 38, Sulaiman Lawal, 35 and Adamu Jume, 34, were on Wednesday 29 April, 2015, docked in a Katsina Magistrates’ Court for allegedly raping three minors.

The accused persons standing trial before Magistrate Abdurrahman Umar on a count charge of rape are residents of Danmusa Local Government Area.

According to the police prosecutor, Insp. Hashimu Musa, the accused conspired and raped the three minors on 12 April, 2015 stating that “one Tanimu Danmusa reported the case at Danmusa Police Division that the accused committed the offence at about 2p.m.

He stressed that “the accused persons criminally deceived the underage girls, while hawking sachet water and had carnal knowledge of them.” He added that “the accused had established a syndicate that specialised in raping underage girls by luring them with monetary gifts.”

He further revealed that during the police investigation of the case which was transferred from Danmusa to the State’s Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation, “the accused confessed that they have been giving some minors N200 for sex,”

Meanwhile the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge and advocate for bail but the Magistrate said “the court would not grant bail to them as their file had been forwarded to the State’s Ministry of Justice for advice.”

Umar who adjourned till May 25 for continuation, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.