The Periscope reporter
The long awaited judgement against a phedophile was what attracted the civil society organisations, the women groups and the media Tuesday, to a Yola Upper Area Court, Adamawa state, northeast Nigeria.
It could have been the first case to be heard, the first judgement to be passed yesterday. Little the groups in solidarity with the case, did know that they would be disappointed while patiently waiting for the case to be called for final judgement.
All the cases scheduled for Tuesday was heard, except that which the concern people of Adamawa, were patiently waiting for a prayer well answered, against rape for rituals or for whatever diviation.
The presiding judge, Umar Isa, could however not pass the judgement in the case of a rape of five-year-old girl because the case file was reported missing.
The case was filed by the police against Aliyu Mohammed, a 25-year-old married man, who allegedly raped the five-year-old girl in Lelewarji Ward of Yola South Local Government Area.
The judge expressed disappointment when the rape case was not mention, though he was set to deliver judgement.
The court clerksl sent, returned with a frustrating story that he could not trace the file, as the court registrar who could help was equally absent.
The court judge, to the dismay of the different groups in unity against rape and injustice, eventually helplessly, rescheduled the judgement to January 14, 2020.
Some CSOs and women from Lelewarji ward who were in the court for the judgement expressed dismay over the development.
Some of the women the Periscope interviewed, suspected a fault play, a judicial complecency to the growing increase of rape cases, especially as it affected the helpless neonates; frustrating proceedings, denying by delaying justice.
“The other time it was shifted because of NBA Week and today the file is nowhere to be found.
“Aliyu the phedophile, has since been on bail. This is the second time the judgement will be adjourned for unfathomable reason. The rapist has been aggressively bragging rather proudly, that they have the law in their hands as much as they have money in their pockets.
“He said that any criminal, not necessarily, rapist could secure his freedom before the law, provided that he has money and backups. We thought he was joking. What happens today, is giving us a rethink,” The women would say.
“We are here full of hope that our quest for justice for a survivor of rape is here at last, only to get this shock,” Nuwama Ishaku, the Human Right Desk Officer of Centre for Women and Adolescent Empowerment, Yola, said.
Farah James, a member of Adamawa Coalition Against Rape ACAR, also expressed disappointment to the unbelievably not to be thought of incident.
“Can this be a judicial conspiracy to subvert justice in favour of the rapist? How can a case file get missing on judgement day, where not even a rat can have access to? Farah would expostulate.
Farah said that ACAR would meet over the matter to take a position.
The media mediators, especially those with an investigative house style, considered the insident as another kind of David Yallop’s investigative story to be treated in God’s name.