The High Court of Justice in Delta State has sentenced Abubakar Mohammed to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping a nine-year-old girl in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area.
Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro 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 the state’s Violence Against Persons Law, 2020.
The prosecution was led by Victoria Ibegbulem, Principal State Counsel in the Sexual Offences Unit of the ministry.
In reaching the verdict, the court found that the prosecution had established the essential elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge placed significant weight on the direct testimony of the child, which was supported by medical evidence presented during the trial.
In determining the punishment, the court took into account the victim’s age and vulnerability, the circumstances surrounding the offence and the abuse of trust involved.
The court also considered evidence relating to an earlier alleged abuse, which was said to have been accompanied by threats to the child’s life.
Justice Marshal-Umukoro held that the circumstances surrounding the case justified a punishment beyond the statutory minimum.
Mohammed was consequently sentenced to life imprisonment without an option of fine.
The court also ordered that his name, photograph and other identifying details be entered in Delta State’s Register of Convicted Sex Offenders, maintained by the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
In a further measure aimed at public protection, the court directed that the register be made accessible to members of the public.
The judgment underscores the court’s firm position on offences involving the sexual abuse of children, particularly where the victim is highly vulnerable and the circumstances of the offence aggravate the wrongdoing.
With the life sentence and registration order, the court has imposed both a custodial punishment and a lasting public record of the conviction.
