Rita Odafe
In a recent ruling by the Gwagwalada Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, two individuals, Mohammed Nazifi, aged 30, and Bilkisu Ibrahim, aged 25, received a sentence of three months in prison for engaging in adultery.
The pair faced a single charge of adultery and admitted their guilt in court.
During the hearings, Nazifi appealed to the court for leniency, citing his responsibilities as a married man with young children. Ibrahim also sought mercy, mentioning her three-year-old child and elderly mother who depend on her.
Initially, Magistrate Olatunji Oladunmoye had detained the defendants while they attempted to secure a character witness, which they ultimately failed to do.
Upon their inability to provide support, the magistrate handed down a three-month sentence to both individuals, offering them the alternative of paying a N25,000 fine.
Oladunmoye emphasized that the objective of the punishment was not to destroy the individuals but rather to encourage their rehabilitation and to act as a warning for others considering similar actions.
The prosecution, led by Dabo Yakubu, shared that the case was brought to the Gwagwalada Area Command by Mr. Dayabe Abdullahi from Chibiri village, Kuje, on January 16. Yakubu detailed that both accused admitted to their involvement in the illicit act, which violates sections 387 and 388 of the Penal Code.
These sections pertain to individuals under customary law, where engaging in sexual relations outside of marriage is deemed a criminal act. According to the law, a guilty party may face imprisonment for up to two years, a fine, or both.
NAN
