A Wuse zone 6 Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced a 23-year-old man, Nnamdi Francis to one year imprisonment for attempting to rape a nine-year-old girl.
The Police charged Nnamdi Francis of EFAB Estate, Dakwa Abuja, for attempting to commit a felony and procurement of a minor.
Magistrate Omolola Akindele handed down the sentence after Francis pleaded guilty to the crime and begged the court for leniency.
In his plea, the convict admitted guilt and attributed his actions to evil spirits that torments him.
`I want the court to forgive me, is an evil spirit that appears in form of a python that pushed me to do it, please have mercy on me, he pleaded,’’.
In her ruling, Akindele said:”witchcraft is an unknown to the law, however he did not waste the time of the court in admitting to the crime, hence will be punished according to the law”.
Akindele ordered the convict to pay a fine of N10, 000, adding that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who might want to engage in similar act.
Earlier, The Police Prosecutor ASP Peter Ejike, FCT Command Abuja, told the court that Mr Lattus Steven, of Adewusi Estate Dakwa Abuja, reported the matter via a written petition to the office of the AIG, Zone 7 Command, on August 21.
Ejike told the court that the accused intentionally lured the minor into his room and instructed her to remove all her clothes with intent to defile her.
He added that the accused tried to have canal knowledge of the girl but in the process released his sperm on her and told her not to tell anyone.
The accused however pleaded guilty to the offence and begged the court for mercy, adding that it was the evil spirit and promised not to do it again.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 95 and 275 of the penal code law.
