Kaduna records 15 rape cases daily — Chief Judge

The Chief Judge of Kaduna state, Muhammad Lawal Bello, on Monday said the state records no less than 15 rape cases daily.

Speaking at the annual Law week organized by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Kaduna Branch, he decried the alarming rate of rape on children, stating that most victims are within the ages of three-month to 12 years old.

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“Issues of rape is rising in the country and Kaduna is no exception as we record between 10 to 15 cases per day. The situation is becoming rampant that victims are mostly little boys and girls within the ages of three-month to 12 years old.

“The rate that children are being defiled is alarming and more need to be done to curtail this issue before it gets out of hand,” he said

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the judicial system to improvise in ensuring cases do not linger in courts, adding that the Kaduna state government has acquired the necessary equipment for court hearings to be held online.

He said serious cases that may lead to imprisonment, life imprisonment and death sentences will be exempted as a witness need to appear physically to avoid the presentation of fake witnesses.

In his address, Chairman of NBA, Kaduna Branch, Samson Audu, urged governments to adopt modern technology to meet up with the new challenges faced by the judicial sector.

He, however, stated that the rules of the court have to be amended and incorporate virtual sittings to meet up with necessary requirements because the Nigeria constitution did not anticipate the new challenges.