The Delta State High Court, sitting in Asaba, has sentenced Abubakar Mohammed to life imprisonment for raping a nine-year-old girl in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area. The judgment, delivered by Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro on Monday, August 10, 2026, in Charge No. DTHC/ASB/CR/26/2025 (State v. Abubakar Mohammed), followed a prosecution by the Delta State Ministry of Justice under Sections 3(1)(a) and 4(1) of the Delta State Violence Against Persons Law, 2020.
Prosecution and Evidence
The prosecution was led by Mrs. Victoria Ibegbulem, Principal State Counsel in the Sexual Offences Unit of the Ministry of Justice. In its judgment, the court held that the prosecution had proved all essential elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
Justice Marshal-Umukoro relied principally on the direct evidence of the victim, which was supported by corroborative medical evidence, in finding the defendant guilty of rape. The court considered the victim's age and vulnerability, the abuse of trust, and the circumstances of the offence, including evidence of previous abuse allegedly accompanied by threats to the victim's life.
Sentencing and Registration
The court determined that the circumstances warranted a sentence beyond the statutory minimum. Consequently, Mohammed was sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of fine.
Additionally, the court ordered that the convict's name, photograph, and other particulars be entered in the Register of Convicted Sex Offenders maintained by the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta State. The court further directed that the register be made accessible to the public.
