Jigawa court strikes out rape, incest case over delayed prosecution

A Jigawa State High Court has struck out a rape and incest case involving one Ibrahim Alfa of Garado village in Jahun Local Government Area and two others, due to a prolonged delay in prosecution.

The defendants were accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl, identified as Ibrahim Alfa’s biological daughter.

The charges were brought under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law No. 2 of Jigawa State, 2021.

According to a statement signed by Abbas Rufa’i Wangara, Director of Publicity and Protocol for the Jigawa State Judiciary, the court dismissed the case after nearly three years of stalled proceedings.

The prosecution reportedly failed to present the accused in court throughout the period, causing repeated delays and stalling justice.

The presiding judge noted that the court cannot continue to entertain a case without any clear commitment from the prosecution to pursue it diligently.

The development has sparked concerns over the state’s handling of sexual violence cases, especially those involving minors.

Stakeholders are calling for stronger coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors to prevent such sensitive cases from being abandoned due to technicalities.

The Star