From Paul Orude, Bauchi
A man in Bauchi State has been arraigned in court for the alleged kidnap and rape of a married woman.
Rabo Muhammadu of Guggu Village in Nabordo district of Toro Local Government Area was arraigned before Justice Aliyu Baba Usman of the Bauchi State High Court for committing the alleged crimes
The Deputy Director of Litigation, Sabiu A Gumba, told the court that the offence of kidnapping is contrary to section 3 (1) punishable under section 3 of the kidnapping and section 10 punishable under section 11 of the kidnapping, theft of cattle and rape special provision law 2017.
In their separate statements before police investigators filed in court by state counsel, the husband of the victim, Yusuf Lawan, said three gunmen stormed their house in the night demanding for the sum of N1 million.
Lawan said he did not have such money, causing the invaders to abduct his wife, taking her to an unknown destination, and dropping a phone number for negotiation.
He said that night he informed one Alhaji Dogo who advised him to wait until morning to mount a search.
He said when they searched and did not find his wife, they called the kidnappers who reduced the ransom amount to half a million.
Yusuf said in the process of collecting the money one of the accused was arrested while others fled.
He said one of the kidnappers was his neighbour.
The victim, Maryam Yusuf, a mother of four, recalled being taken to Yuga forest where all three kidnappers raped her repeatedly.
She said she was able to identify one of the kidnappers who was her neighbour.
The investigator and a vigilante said when the kidnappers called Yusuf to take the N500,000 to them
They said they trailed the suspects, discovering that while two of them stayed with the victim, one of them later identified as Rabo came out with his gun to collect the money.
When he understood that he was surrounded by police and vigilantes, he fired a shot.
The others fled while the injured suspect was taken to the police station.
When the case was mentioned, the accused pleaded not guilty to all the two count charges.
The presiding judge, Justice Usman, adjourned the case to March 8 for trial