Some family members in Chafe local government area of Zamfara State have petitioned the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice over alleged released of one Bala Haruna Yusuf Oranji who is alleged to have defied (raped) a 3 years old Fatima (Ihsan).
In a petition dated 21st May 2020 signed by one Sufiyanu Nuhu Tsafe on behalf of the family and a copy which was obtained by Thunder Blowers Online News Medium reads that, the accused was arrested sometimes in February 2020 for the alleged offence and taken to the Tsafe Police Station for interrogation and during questioning he confessed to the charges.
The petitioner noted further that, the victim was also taken to Sexual Assault Referral Center (SARC) where evidence of penetration was dully established.
The accused was later arraigned at the Chief CMC V in case number GS/121C/2020 on the 12/03/2020 and further referred to Upper Shariah Court in Tsafe.
According to the petitioner, the State CID takes over the matter for further investigation and subsequently remanded the accused in Gusau Correctional Center.
Surprisingly however, on the 20th of May 2020, during the annual prison visit of the State Chief Judge, the accused was allegedly released based on the legal advise by the State Ministry of Justice.
The petitioner in the petition described the release of the accused as a miss carriage of justice since the matter is under investigation by the police and call for the Attorney General, State Chief Judge and indeed all stakeholders in the administration of justice to have a second look at the decision for the interest of the defied victim.
In its response to the petition, the State Chief Judge Mrs Kulu Isah Aliyu through one Assistant Registrar Sufiyanu Garba explained that, the accused was released on the order of the State Attorney General and advised the relations to take the matter off with the office of the AG for further actions.
Several calls made to the Attorney General were not answered even as he is yet to respond to the text messages sent to his number.
