By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
Presiding Magistrate, Mariya Haruna Dogon Daji, has adjourned till June 15, 2022, for the continuation of hearing on a case of child abandonment brought before her against one Jamilu Musa, is a lecturer in the Department of Science and Laboratory, Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic, in Sokoto State.
The accused, Jamilu Musa, according to the prosecutor, was said to have committed offence of desertion of his child, an offence which is contrary to section 212 of the Sokoto State 2002 law,
A female lawyer, Barrister Loveth Bello, was in the Court to watch brief for FIDA. The prosecutor who informed the Court that he intends calling 4 witnesses out of who 2 has already testified, added that he has the 3rd in Court as PW3.
in her evidence before the Court, the PW3, Asmau Abubakar Jibrin, who is the Data Officer of the Sokoto State Ministry for Women and Children Affairs, said sometimes in January 2021, the Director Women Affairs of the Ministry, gave her a number to call and take her complaint.
'It was last year January, 2021 but I can't recall the date. The Director Women Affairs gave me a number of one lady (name witheld) and I called her and she reported a case of rape which I reverted back to my Director.
"The lady (name witheld) was later invited to the Ministry for more details. While in the office, she gave details about how she was raped and the culprit abandoned the child.
"After hearing from her, the Ministry directed her to FIDA where she reported that the perpetrator refused to take responsibility of the child".
Continuing, the PW3 said as a way of assisting the survivor, the Ministry try as much as possible to include her in any of their empowerment programme to enable her fend for the child.
While cross examining the PW3, the defence counsel, Barrister Umar Abubakar, asked if the Ministry has any register in respect to this incident and she answered in the affirmative, saying, 'Every incident is recorded in our national dashboard".
The Prosecutor thereafter made oral application for adjournment to enable him come with PW4. And his application was granted hence adjourning the case to 15 of June for continuation of hearing.
It was also gathered that the father of the survivor vowed never to allow her enter his house, having brought such shame upon him.
Meanwhile, a relative of the survivor who preferred not to be mentioned, said the lecturer after getting her pregnant, hurriedly married her to evade any backlash and punishment from either the school authority or society.
The family source also said that shortly after the marriage, Jamilu Musa divorced the lady and abandoned the baby as well. NNL.
