A Bauchi State High Court has sentenced three persons to 21 years imprisonment each for their involvement in child abduction.
The convicts were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and child trafficking in a case that has drawn attention to the growing menace of child abduction in the state.
Delivering judgment, the presiding judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, noting that the offence carries a severe penalty under the relevant laws.
The court sentenced each of the three convicts to 21 years behind bars without an option of fine.
The case followed investigations by security operatives who tracked down the suspects after a report was lodged by the victim's family.
Reacting to the judgment, officials of the state's Ministry of Justice and child protection agencies welcomed the ruling, describing it as a deterrent to others involved in similar crimes.
They reiterated the commitment of the Bauchi State Government to protecting children and ensuring that perpetrators of such heinous acts face the full weight of the law.
The convicts are expected to serve their terms in a correctional facility in the state.
More details on the case are expected as the court releases the full judgment.
---
Source: Daily Post Nigeria — Bauchi court jails three for 21 years each over child abduction
Tags:
Metro