A man, Rabo Muhammadu, of Guggu village, in Nabordo district of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, has been dragged to court for allegedly kidnapping and raping a married woman several times.
He was arraigned before Justice Aliyu Usman of the Bauchi State High Court 4 on Thursday.
The Deputy Director in charge of litigations in the state Ministry of Justice, Sabiu Gumba, told the court that the offence was contrary to sections 3 (1) and 10 and punishable under Section 11 of the Kidnapping, Theft of Cattle and Rape Special Provision Law, 2017.
A statement filed in court by the counsel for the woman’s husband, Yusuf Lawan, said three men, armed with guns and weapons, abducted the victim.
He alleged that before taking the woman away, the gunmen, who covered their faces with veils, demanded N1m from her husband.
When he could not give them the money, the suspects allegedly kidnapped the woman and dropped a telephone number – 09073602385 — for negotiation.
Lawan said in the process of collecting the ransom, one of the accused persons, a neighbour to the victim, was arrested, while the other suspects fled.
The victim, Maryam, in her statement, said she was taken to Yuga forest, where the three kidnappers took turns to rape her several times.
The mother of four claimed that she recognised one of the kidnappers as their neighbour.
When the case was mentioned, the accused pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
The Judge, Justice Aliyu Usman, adjourned the case till March 8, 2021, for trial.
