The Sokoto Chief Magistrate Court has framed fresh charges against the three middle -aged men that allegedly circulated nude video of would- be bride.
The accused are Aminu Dalhatu and his friends Umar Abubakar and Mas’ud Gidado who appeared on the charge sheet as 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively.
The court, however, discharged the 4th defendant as there was no any offence linked to him.
Chief Magistrate Shu’aibu Ahmad in his ruling, said after carefully and painstakingly studied all the essential ingredients for the offences, a prima facia case was established against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants and as such the court would frame new charges against them.
The new charges as read by the chief magistrate, were abatement, obscene or indecent act and sales of obscene book which were punishable under section 48,171 and 173 of the Sokoto Penal Code and triable by this court.
Magistrate Ahmad explained that the suspects saved and circulated an 18 seconds nude video of one Fatima Shehu on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges as such their counsels urged the court to recalled PW1, 2 and for further questioning and the court granted their verbal applications.
The case was adjourned till March 3, 2021 for the recalling of the three witnesses while their bail still standing.
The first accused was said to had raped the girl when she was 16 years old, recorded her nudity, shared it with his friends who circulated it on social media platforms.
