Sokoto Court Jails Son Of Tambuwal’s Aide, 2 Others For Circulating Nude Video

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Sokoto on Tuesday sentenced Aminu Yahatu-Tafida, son of the Special Adviser on Social Investments to Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal and two others to four and half years’ jail term each for circulating a nude video.

The court sentenced Yahatu-Tafida, Umar Abubakar, and Mas’ud Gidado, all residents of Sokoto after finding them guilty of abatement, sale/circulation of obscene books, obscene and indecent acts.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convicts were first arraigned on October 5, 2020, on offences that contravened the Penal Code, Laws of Sokoto State.

The prosecutor, ASP Samuel Sule, earlier told the court that the case was reported by a resident of Bardon Barade, Sokoto (name withheld), explaining that Hayatu-Tafida (a.k.a. Baffa), sometime in 2017, lured a 16-year-old daughter of the complainant to the Phoenix Guest Inn, had unlawful carnal knowledge of her, and recorded her nudity in an 18-second video clip.

According to him, Hayatu-Tafida conspired with the others and circulated the nude video on social media, and that the acts resulted in the termination of the victim’s wedding scheduled to take place in October 2020.

Delivering judgment in the case, characterised by series of adjournments, Chief Magistrate Shu’aibu Ahmad said the prosecuting counsel has proven his case beyond any reasonable doubts and as such the three defendants were convicted for the very offences put forward before them.

Citing Section 209 ACJN of Sokoto 2019, Shu’aibu however gave the opportunity to the defendants’ Counsels to make any other submission before reading his sentences.

Counsels to all the defendants separately but unanimously said they had no intention to invite any other witness, pleading that justice should be tempered with mercy on the grounds that all the defendants were youths who have future before them and first-time offenders.

“We are appealing to this honourable Court to show leniency in its sentence, more so that the defendants have all shown remorsefulness over their actions. We are therefore appealing that other options should also be considered as sentencing convicts is no longer a fashion this time around.

“And if in the case this Court so wishes to sentence them, the Court should be liberal taking into cognisance, the economic hardship being faced this time around. Your worship sir, we so appealed”, the Counsels pleaded

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Ahmad said the convicts’ plea for leniency was considered, especially the fact that they were all first-time offenders.

Consequently, Ahmad sentenced the convicts to two years’ imprisonment each for the obscene and indecent acts, with an option N200,000 fine.

The Court further pronounced two years’ imprisonment each for sale and circulation of obscene materials, and six months imprisonment each for abatement, with an N50,000 fine option for each of the offenses.

Ahmad, who also ordered each of the convicts to pay N100,000 to the complainant as compensation, expressed the hope that the sentences would serve as a deterrent to others.

In their reactions, the prosecutor, ASP Simon Sule and the complainant, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. – With additional reports from NAN