Two men arraigned for raping minors

Two men accused of raping two minors appeared before a Jos Upper Area Court on Friday.

The duo – Shuaibu Musa , 17 , and Bashiru Mohammed, 19 , who allegedly raped two minors aged 13 and 16 , were charged with criminal conspiracy and rape .

The police prosecutor , Mr E . A. Inegbenoise, told the court that Mr Bulus Badung of Dawul -Bob village in Vwang District in Jos South, reported the matter at the `A ’ Divisional Police Headquarters , On March 29 .

Inegbenoise alleged that the accused persons , on the said date , accosted the victims at about 6 pm on their way home and dragged them into a nearby bush.

He said that when the victims put up a resistance, the accused persons tied them up with ropes and raped them.

“During police investigation , the accused persons confessed to committing the crime, ” he claimed.

The prosecutor added that the offences contravened sections 97 and 283 of the Penal Code and could attract punishment of up to 21 years imprisonment , upon conviction.

The accused persons , however , pleaded not guilty to the crime when the charges were read in court .

Counsel for the accused , Mr David Adudu , in a written application , prayed the court to grant his clients bail , quoting section 36 (5 ) of the 1999 constitution that presumed an accused person innocent until otherwise proven .

Adudu said that if the bail was granted, his clients would neither jump bail nor interfere with police investigation .

The judge , Mr Mustapha Yahaya, admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N 100 , 000 each, and two sureties each in like sum .

Yahaya said that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and must submit, to the court , two recent passport- sized photographs and their national identity cards .

He adjourned hearing in the matter to May 18 .

NAN