A Yola Magistrate Court has sentenced a 37-year-old housewife, Fatima Abubakar, to one year imprisonment for abusing her two stepchildren. The Chief Magistrate Court II, presided over by Magistrate M.A. Adamu, convicted Fatima on charges of cruelty and child abuse after she was found guilty of torturing the children left in her care.
Fatima, a resident of Sanda Makama B Ward in Yola South Local Government Area, was sentenced to serve her term at a correctional center without the option of a fine. In addition to the jail term, the court ordered her to pay N100,000 to the government and an additional N150,000 to cover the medical expenses incurred for the treatment of the abused children.
Fatima had previously confessed to subjecting her stepchildren—a two-year-old girl and her three-year-old brother—to repeated maltreatment and torture. Her actions led to visible injuries on the children, which prompted legal action.
The children’s father, Abubakar Yuguda, was also arraigned on charges of child abuse but was granted bail after meeting the court’s conditions. His case has been adjourned for further hearings.
The prosecution, led by SP Iliya Akawu, brought the couple before the court on charges that contravened sections 60 and 209 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa State. According to the allegations, Fatima repeatedly subjected the children to physical abuse, which prompted intervention by law enforcement and subsequent legal proceedings.
This case serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of child abuse and cruelty, with the court taking a firm stance on ensuring justice for the victims.
