Kano rape case: We want justice – Victim’s brother

On  November 29, officials of Kano Hisbah Board leveled allegation of kidnap and rape of a 16-year-old girl against three policemen serving under Kwalli Divisional Police headquarters in Kano metropolis. The policemen were on a night patrol in October when they reportedly abducted the girl, who was on her way home around 9pm and took […]

On  November 29, officials of Kano Hisbah Board leveled allegation of kidnap and rape of a 16-year-old girl against three policemen serving under Kwalli Divisional Police headquarters in Kano metropolis. The policemen were on a night patrol in October when they reportedly abducted the girl, who was on her way home around 9pm and took her to the barracks where she was raped repeatedly.

The girl, Maimuna Tanko (not real name) was said to have been taken to Kwalli police barracks in a patrol vehicle after the night duty, where she was held in a room for 28 days. Maimuna was allegedly repeatedly raped by the three police officers she identified as Sergeant Mohammed Dantalle, Constable Yusuf Ibrahim and Constable Salisu Mahmud.

The rape sessions, according to Maimuna, were conducted after she was threatened with a gun against resisting or exposing her violators. Not only that, the girl further alleged that the officers continued to use police patrol vehicle to take her to civilians who allegedly raped her and paid the policemen. One of the civilian patrons, she disclosed, was a drug dealer. She gave their names as Sanusi Pele, Shehu and Misbahu Mohammed.

The first to react to Maimuna’s story was a consortium of human rights organization, which during a press conference in Kano by is representative, Barrister Abdullahi Imam, demanded that the Kano State government set up a commission of inquiry to thoroughly investigate the matter.

The probe panel, according to the group, should   include the police, the state Council of Ulama, Hisbah, the emirate council and the state Ministry of Justice as members and that it should be tasked to provide “unbiased and authentic details of the incident.” The group further demanded that Kano State government which identifies itself with shari’ah, must pursue the matter seriously.

Although no such commission was set up by the state government, the police announced through its Police Public Relations Officer n Kano, ASP Musa Magaji Majia, that it was investigating the allegations.

The most recent criticism of the force and the manner it was handling the matter came from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday. Aside from expressing shock over the alleged crime which he described as “horrific”, NHRC’s Executive Secretary Rowland Ewubare, said the matter must be investigated.

Two days after the statement by the commission, police authorities in Kano announced the conclusion of an orderly room trial it said it had been conducting for the three policemen involved in the saga. Briefing newsmen at the Bompai police command headquarters over the issue on Thursday, Kano State Police Commissioner, Muhammad Tambari Yabo, disclosed that the policemen have been found guilty of the kidnap and rape of the teenager, adding that Constables Ibrahim and Mahmud were summarily dismissed from the Police Force, while inspector Dantalle was demoted to the rank of sergeant.

He noted that the two dismissed policemen were prime suspects in the case for their deep involvement. Yabo said he personally reviewed the report of the orderly room trail and handed down the punishments.  The commissioner said the case diary will be sent to the state’s Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for professional advice and possible prosecution of the suspects.

However, while reacting to the action taken by police authorities, Maimuna’s brother, Alhaji Mohammed Inuwa, said it was anything but short of their expectations for justice. Earlier, Alhaji Inuwa had raised alarm that the victim’s family was under pressure to abandon the matter, alleging that N50, 000 had been paid to one of the girl’s grandparents to induce them to abandon the case.

Meanwhile, Commisisioner Yabo has denied the charges, arguing that “there was no attempt to suppress the evidence in the case since the investigation commenced. The matter was investigated and those involved have been punished.”

Similarly, human rights groups have also expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict passed on the policemen, maintaining that a lot of questions have been left unanswered. The Secretary-General of  the Network for Justice, Bala Abdullahi, said the absence of any mention of Kwalli divisional police officer overseeing the men in the decision even though the matter was said to have been initially reported showed clear laxity on their part.

In her comment, the Chairperson, Voice of Widows, Divorcees and Orphans (VOWAN) Hajiya Altine Abdullahi, expressed worry that the girl may suffer a lifelong psychological trauma as a result of the sexual assault, adding that the police should have looked into ways of helping her to get into counseling.

However, the Executive Secretary of Isa Wali Initiative, Amina Hanga, has commended the police for acting swiftly on the matter, saying however that it was just the beginning of the journey for ensuring that the girl gets justice at the end of the day. Meanwhile, Maimuna’s brother, Alhaji Inuwa, told Weekly Trust yesterday that the family has been invited to a meeting with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, in Kano today.

The IG, according to Alhaji Inuwa, sent the invitation through a police relation of the family, adding that it was scheduled to take place at the state police headquarters at 10am today.

Although the Kano command PPRO could not be reached for comment as at the time of going to press, Weekly Trust learnt that the said scheduled parley could not be unconnected with the order reportedly given to the IG by the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute the policemen.

Media reports yesterday, quoted the nation’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), as describing the rape scandal as a “dastardly act,” which “constituted a grave violation of the victim’s fundamental right,” while he equally condemned the “action of the police high command in remaining silent.”