Five members of a family at Saika village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State have reportedly fed a-day-old baby boy to a dog. The suspects, Wasila Halilu (15) who is the mother of the baby, Wasila’s stepbrothers – Muhammadu Bello (45), Musa Bello (35) and Umar Bello (27) – as well as her mother, Faiza Umar (30), are now in police custody.
The police also arrested a 27-year-old farmer, Musa Garba, who allegedly im-pregnated Wasila. He is accused of defiling the teenage mother. The suspects have been arraigned before a Katsina Magistrates’ Court on a threecount charge bordering on culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy and rape.
The offenses, police said, contravened sections 235, 387 and 85 of the Penal Code. The presiding magistrate, Nura Ladan, fixed August 8 for further hearing on the case. Ladan also directed the police to carry out an in-depth investigation into the incident.
Police sources said that trouble started when Wasila gave birth to the baby boy after being allegedly impregnated by the farmer. Wasila reportedly told the police and the family that the farmer lured her to his farm and allegedly raped her.
The sources added that Wasila’s pregnancy and the subsequent delivery of the baby boy were said to have been viewed as capable of bringing shame to the family since she was not married. It was alleged that Wasila’s mother and the stepbrothers consequently held a meeting where it was decided that the baby should be fed to a dog.
The village Head of Saika, Dakacin Saika, reported the incident to the police which led to the arrest of the accused. The police consequently slammed the three-count charge on them before Ladan. The magistrate directed that the accused be remanded in police custody until August 8.
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