Woman sentenced to one year imprisonment for t0rturing her stepchildren, aged 2 and 3 in Adamawa

The Chief Magistrate Court II sitting in Yola, Adamawa State, has convicted and sentenced a 37-year-old housewife, Fatima Abubakar, to one year imprisonment for child abuse.

The sentence is to be served at a correctional centre without the option of a fine.

Fatima, of Sanda Makama B Ward in Yola South Local Government Area, was arrested on October 5, 2024, for torturing her stepchildren, Usman Abubakar, 3, and Hafsat Abubakar, 2. 

She had earlier been arraigned before the court alongside her husband and father of the children, Abubakar Yuguda, by the prosecuting police officer, SP Iliya Akawu, for the offence of child abuse which contravenes sections 60 and 209 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa State.

The court, presided over by Magistrate M. A. Adamu, sentenced after she was found guilty of the offence tagged cruelty to persons.

In addition to the one year of loss of freedom, the convict was ordered by the court to pay N100,000 to the government as well as N150,000 as medical bills for the treatment of the two children that she maltreated.

She had earlier confessed to torturing a baby girl and her older brother who are her stepchildren but left under her care.

The father of the children, who was arraigned with her over the child abuse charge, was granted bail. 

Abubakar was admitted to bail after he fulfilled the conditions for it, and the court adjourned his matter for the continuation of hearing.