Court sentences man to life imprisonment for r@ping 9-year-old girl in Delta

‎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.
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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.
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‎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. 
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