Delta Court sentences man to life imprisonment for defiling 9-year-old girl

Thursday, August 13, 2026 - The High Court of Justice of Delta State, sitting in the Asaba Judicial Division, has sentenced Abubakar Mohammed to life imprisonment for r@ping a nine-year-old girl in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro, who presided over the case, delivered the judgment on Monday, August 10, 2026, in Charge No. DTHC/ASB/CR/26/2025, State v. Abubakar Mohammed.

Mohammed was prosecuted by the Delta State Ministry of Justice under Sections 3(1)(a) and 4(1) of the Delta State Violence Against Persons Law, 2020.

The prosecution was led by Mrs. Victoria Ibegbulem, Principal State Counsel in the S3xual Offences Unit of the Ministry of Justice.

In its judgment, the court held that the prosecution had proved all the 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 r@pe.

In determining the appropriate sentence, the court considered the age and vulnerability of the victim, the abuse of trust, the circumstances surrounding the commission of the offence and evidence of a previous abuse allegedly accompanied by threats to the victim's life.

The court held that the circumstances of the case warranted a sentence beyond the statutory minimum.

Consequently, Mohammed was sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of fine.

The court also 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.