•Late Rumaisa
A Kano State Magistrates’ court sitting in No-Man’s land has ordered the remand of a chemist owner accused of raping a nine-year-old girl in prison.
The state counsel, Barrister Zainab Aliko, told the court that the chemist owner, Manniru Ibrahim Fanisau, allegedly raped the victim, Rumaisa Sadiq, when she was brought to him for malaria treatment as a result of which she later died, reports Daily Trust.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to a two count-charge of rape and homicide contrary to Sections 283 and 221 of the Penal Code.
The Magistrate, Hajara Safiyyu Garba, adjourned the case to September 30, 2024.
It would be recalled that the father of the deceased, Malam Sadiq Muhammad, took her along with her two siblings to the chemist for malaria treatment and the defendant asked the father to take the other two siblings home while he treated the victim.
It was learnt that it was after the father returned to the chemist that he met the girl in a worse condition, and when he took her to a hospital, it was discovered that she was raped and the chemist owner was subsequently arrested.
