The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has achieved a significant legal milestone with the sentencing of Dr. Abubakar Mustapha Danraka, a public officer, to life imprisonment for the crime of sodomy. The High Court in Abuja delivered this historic judgment, marking a crucial step in the enforcement of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015.
According to Vincent Adekoye, the agency’s spokesperson, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting in Kubwa, Abuja, and presided over by Hon. Justice Asmau Akanbi-Yusuf, convicted and sentenced Dr. Abubakar Mustapha Danraka to life imprisonment for the offense of rape (sodomy) as outlined in Section 1 of the VAPP Act of 2015.
Dr. Abubakar Mustapha Danraka, a former Chief Pharmacist of the National Hospital, Abuja, and Senior Special Adviser (Technical) to the Director of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, was the convicted individual. This ruling brings to a close the contentious case, which had been under scrutiny for three years and had garnered considerable attention from stakeholders nationwide.
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Adekoye disclosed that the convict, Dr. Abubakar Mustapha Danraka, was arrested on March 27th, 2020, on charges of sexually assaulting a minor (identity protected) who happened to be his neighbor, residing in the same estate in Abuja. He enticed the victim into his apartment and engaged in anal intercourse after incapacitating him with a drink.
The charges were officially filed on August 9, 2021, and he was arraigned on April 5, 2022, where he pleaded “not guilty.” The prosecution team from NAPTIP effectively substantiated the charges, resulting in the judgment on September 18, 2023.
In response to the verdict, Professor Fatima Waziri–Azi, the Director-General of NAPTIP, commended the judiciary for its unwavering commitment to delivering justice under the VAPP Act. She expressed her satisfaction with the landmark judgment and emphasized the collective effort to make Nigeria a violence-free nation in collaboration with partners and stakeholders.
This marks the third rape conviction secured by NAPTIP in the Federal Capital Territory in the year 2023.