Auchi man remanded for touching woman's private part under Sexual Offences Law

AUCHI Magistrates Court has remanded -year-old Mustapha Mamud in prison for allegedly touching a woman’s private part in the first case to be tried under Nigeria's new Sexual Offences Law.

 

When the case was heard yesterday, Magistrate M O Osayi, said the accused should be kept in prison custody pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Mahmud, the  accused, who resides at undisclosed address in Auchi, is facing a two-count charge bordering on attempted rape.

 

He pleaded not guilty to the charge but the prosecutor, Sergeant Daniel Mato, told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 24 at his apartment somewhere in Auchi. According to the prosecution, the accused and the woman are living in the same house.

 

Sergeant Mato said: "The accused touched the private part of the woman in an attempt to have carnal knowledge of her."

 

He added that the offence also contravened sections 3,594 and 3,609 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of 1976 as applicable in Edo State. Further hearing in the case has been fixed for October 13.

 

In June, Nigeria's senate passed the Sexual Offences Bill, a comprehensive law on sexual offences by criminalising certain acts such as sexual tourism, child pornography and cultural and religious sexual offences  that prescribe life imprisonment for anyone convicted of rape or deliberately infecting another person with HIV/Aids.   Sponsored by Senator Chris Anyanwu of Imo East, the bill also prescribes life imprisonment for anyone convicted if child sex tourism or gang rape.

 

Among other things, it also prescribes 10 years imprisonment for incest, child pornography and a fine of N2m for a range of other sexual offences. Traditionally, Nigeria has had weak sexual offences laws, allowing for widespread child abuse, rape and underage marriages.