Sale, who resides at Darmanawa Quarters, Kano, was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, rape, and act of gross indecency.

The presiding Judge, Justice Usman Na’abba, held that the prosecution did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt on the allegation of rape.

“There was no evidence of penetration tendered before the court,” he said.

Na’abba, however, sentenced the defendant to six years imprisonment starting from the first day of arrest for act of gross indecency.

Earlier, the prosecution Counsel, Mrs Hafsat Kabir-Sanusi, had told the court that Sale committed the offence on July 24, 2017 at Darmanawa Quarters, Kano.

Kabir-Sanusi alleged that on the same date at about 4:00 p.m, Sale criminally conspired with one Sa’adu Ibrahim, a driver, who had sexual intercourse with the minor on different occasions.

She said that Ibrahim, the first defendant and driver of the victim, raped her on different occasions whenever he brought her back from school.

The prosecutor told the court that Ibrahim became ill and was diagnosed of liver cirrhosis, Hepatitis and died in prison in December 2019 at about 7:00 a.m., while awaiting trial.

According to the prosecutor the offence contravened sections 97, 283 and 284 of the Penal Code of Kano State 2014 as Amended.

NAN