According to Daily Trust, the traditional leader of Dan Gulam in the Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State is accused of raping and impregnating a woman named Hanatu Yahaya—who is not her real name—and giving her HIV in the process.
This was stated in a letter titled “Notification of arraignment of Umar Ibrahim (Village Head of DanGulam) on the offence of rape contrary to section 3 (1) (A and D) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law 2021” that Senior State Counsel in Jigawa State Ministry of Justice, Kabiru Abdullah Esq., wrote to the Secretary of Dutse Emirate Council, Dutse Emir’s Palace on October 16, 2023.
However, the king refuted the claim in a newspaper interview.
Despite appeals and the state government’s participation through the office of the attorney general in the state, reports suggested that pressure was placed on the emirate to ignore the problem.
The village chief stated in the letter that he had filed a defamation of character lawsuit before Upper Shari’a Court Gwaram against the girl, her father, and one other individual.
According to reports, the Jigawa State Police Command’s Criminal Investigation Department opened rape and criminal conspiracy investigations against the king.
The letter said, “I have been directed by the Hon. Attorney General of Jigawa State to write and notify your Highness that, at the Office of the Hon. Attorney General, one Ya’u Muhammad’m’ filed a complaint of rape and HIV infection. In it, he claimed that Umar had forced his daughter to have an illicit sexual relationship that led to her pregnancy and HIV infection.
“After the complaint was received, the parties were invited. During the conversation with the Hon. Attorney General, Umar Ibrahim, the head of the village, disclosed that he had filed a defamation action before Upper Shari’a Court Gwaram against the girl, her father, and one Sule Umar of Dan Gulam Village.
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“All parties were referred to state CID Dutse for the investigation of the two cases, and the Attorney General ordered that the case at Upper Sharia Court Gwaram be taken over.
“The case diary was referred to the Ministry of Justice for legal consultation following the police inquiry at state CID.
“After legal counsel was provided, it was discovered that Umar Ibrahim, a traditional leader and village head in Dan Gulam, Gwaram Local Government Area, Jigawa State, was the subject of a prima facie case of criminal conspiracy and rape, much to the Hon. Attorney General’s dismay.
Given the aforementioned information and the likelihood that he will shortly be charged with a crime, it is best not to charge him as a traditional leader.
“The Hon. Attorney General/Commissioner of Justice directed me to write and notify Your Highness of the case’s status so that appropriate steps can be taken, based on the aforementioned facts.”
In the meantime, the girl’s family is pleading for non-governmental organisations and civil society to become involved in the case in order to preserve the girl’s life and guarantee that justice is done in accordance with Jigawa State’s VAPP Law 2021.
The village chief, however, insisted that he had nothing to do with the girl’s pregnancy.
He clarified that the first instance was not about rape but rather a dispute over some land he gave to the former local government chairman.
“They’re attempting to extort me.” For this reason, they fabricated the claim that I became pregnant. I have never met the girl in my life, therefore I didn’t know her.
Since I married an HIV-positive widow ten years ago, I have had the virus. They claim that I infected that girl because of this, but I firmly deny doing so.
(DAILY TRUST)
