Amnesty International urges Plateau Gov to reinstate rape case involving 4-year-old girl

By August Dinama

Amnesty International has called on Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, to direct the immediate reinstatement of a rape case involving a four-year-old girl, describing its discontinuance as a miscarriage of justice and a setback for the protection of survivors of sexual violence.

The organisation expressed concern that the Plateau State Attorney-General’s office withdrew the case despite a subsisting bench warrant issued against the defendant for repeatedly failing to appear in court.

In a statement, Amnesty International said the decision to discontinue the case was disturbing, insisting that the courts should be allowed to determine the innocence or guilt of the defendant through due process of law.

It urged the state government to reverse the withdrawal, reinstate the charges and ensure that the police execute the court’s arrest warrant to enable the trial to proceed.

According to the organisation, the four-year-old survivor deserves justice, while allowing the case to continue would also give the defendant an opportunity to clear his name if found innocent.

Amnesty International warned that abandoning the case could undermine public confidence in the justice system and embolden perpetrators of sexual violence.

It stressed the need for the state government to ensure that the matter is returned to court and handled in accordance with the law.

The organisation maintained that the discontinuance of the case should not prevent the judicial process from taking its course, particularly given the seriousness of the allegation and the age of the survivor.

It called on Governor Mutfwang to take urgent steps to ensure that justice is pursued and that the legal process is allowed to determine the outcome of the case.