In a significant legal decision, an Abuja High Court has handed down a life sentence to Dr. Abubakar Danraka. Prior to his arrest, Dr. Danraka held esteemed positions as the Chief Pharmacist at the prominent National Hospital in Abuja and served as the Senior Special Adviser (Technical) to the Director of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development.
The severe penalty was levied under the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, enacted in 2015, which has been a cornerstone in addressing and penalizing such heinous acts.
Justice A. Akanbi-Yusuf, presiding over the case, declared the verdict after meticulously reviewing the evidence and ultimately determining Danraka’s guilt in the grievous act of defiling a minor. The incident, which shook the community, occurred in March 2020 and led to immediate legal proceedings.
In the wake of the judgment, the court’s decision garnered significant attention and was lauded by several advocacy groups and legal entities. Among them, Fatima Waziri-Azi, the Director-General of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, expressed her profound appreciation for the court’s unwavering commitment to justice.Â
She remarked, “This landmark judgment underscores our nation’s dedicated efforts to eradicate violence and champion the rights of the vulnerable. The judiciary has once again proven its pivotal role in upholding the principles enshrined in the VAPP law.” Waziri-Azi further pledged the agency’s relentless pursuit in ensuring that such crimes face the full brunt of the law, emphasizing the goal of securing more convictions and curbing rampant impunity in the nation.
SOURCE: VanguardÂ
