A Magistrate's Court sitting in Kaiama in the Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State has sentenced a commercial motorcyclist, Hussain Kamilu, to a total jail term of 42 months for raping a 15-year-old girl.

The convict who was found guilty of three counts will, however, spend 18 months of the 42 months at the Federal Correctional facility in New Bussa, Niger State for sexual assault if he can pay the option of a fine imposed on him instead of 12 months imprisonment each for criminal trespass and intimidation respectively by the Magistrate, Abubakar Boro.

Kamilu, 35, who was arrested on Sunday by the Kaiama Division of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kwara State Command in Ado village, Bani in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state was prosecuted for the alleged rape of a 15-year-old lady in Adogo village in the council area.

According to a statement by the state Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC, Ayeni Olasunkanmi, the convict was alleged to have taken the victim on a motorcycle to an unknown destination where he sexually molested her and threatened her never to tell anyone.

The statement read, “The victim, however, eventually gained the needed courage to report the case at the NSCDC Kaiama Division on April 1, 2023. She reported that she has been psychologically affected by the action of the suspect.

“Thereafter, the suspect was arrested on April 2 and after investigation, he confessed to the offences and was later taken to court on April 3 for prosecution before Magistrate Abubakar Boro at the Magistrate Court, Kaiama.

“Kamilu was prosecuted for alleged criminal trespass, intimidation and forced sexual assault before the court to which he pleaded guilty.

“He was summarily tried and convicted and sentenced to one-year imprisonment for criminal trespass with the option of fine, one-year imprisonment for intimidation with the option of fine, while that of forced sexual assault, he was given one-and-a-half year without option of fine at New Bussa Correctional Centre, Niger State.”

Ayeni said the state Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Tukur Ibrahim, appealed to members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement around them to security agencies.