Yerima faces jail term if found guilty

By Emmanuel Ogala



May 28, 2010 03:09PM
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If found guilty of marriage to a child, Ahmed Yerima, a senator and the former governor of Zamfara state faces five years imprisonment, the director of legal service, National Human Rights Commission, Olukayode Sebanjo have said.

Mr. Sebanjo made the assertion in Abuja on Wednesday when he led a team of human right officers to the national assembly to prove a case against Yerima before the senate committee on Ethics and Petitions.

Mr Yerima is accused of marrying a 13 years old daughter of his Egyptian driver and the Human Rights Commission say it is a violation of Child Right Act Federal Capital Territory where the marriage was contracted. The Child Rights Act is fully domesticated in Abuja, the federal capital territory.

Mr. Sebanjo argued that if the marriage been contracted in Zamfara where the Act is not domesticated, the Commission would not have bothered much about it because the Child Rights Act which Yerima is accused of flouting is not domesticated in Zamfara, where he was governor for eight years.

Although Yerima was present at the plenary earlier in the day, he was absent at the hearing and no mention was made of his appearance or reason for absence.

The National Human Rights Commission delegation added that when proven, that Yerima violated the Act the punishment would be five years in jail or N500, 000 or both.

“Section 21 of that act stipulates that no person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage and accordingly a marriage contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever and the punishment is stipulated in section 23 of that same act, which says the person who marry a child or whom a child is betrothed or who promotes the marriage or who betroths a child commits an offence and he is liable of conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 5 years or both such fine or imprisonment,” the Director said.

Not above the law

When asked by the senators what the Commission wants the Senate to do about the Yerima’s case, Mr. Sebanjo told the Committee on Ethics and Petition to investigate the issue thoroughly and ascertain the age of the girl and her mode of entry into the country.

The human rights delegation also countered Yerima’s arguments that the age of his bride is misrepresented.

“Whether she is 13 years or 14 years, under the law operational in Abuja which is the Federal Capital Territory, she is regarded as a child under the Child Right Act 2003. If a marriage truly took place between Senator Yerima and the 13 years or 14 years old child, the laws are there as to what the Act,” Mr. Sebanjo argued.

He also dispelled Mr Yerima’s argument that his actions were compliant with Islamic laws saying that under any law,

whether Christian, Islam, Ogun or atheism, the Child Right does not permit marriage under the age of 18 years.

But ofcourse, we all know he wont be found guilty. Waste of time

But of course he can be guilty if they could find out the egyptian girl is a minor. all road leads to the , if found guilty.

aderinsoye:

But of course he can be guilty if they could find out the egyptian girl is a minor. all road leads to the , if found guilty.

What do you meant by foind out if she's a minor? ARENT WE TALKING ABT A 12-13YRS OLD GIRL HERE?

^^^ Its all about getting newa birth certificats and claiming the girl is 17 yrs and 11months. What then will u do?

The Daughter of his driver?
What a shame, i am sure he is probably old enuf to even be a father to the driver, so cos of his money, he bought the kid.
By the way, what other kinda evidence is needed, He married the child and i dont even see why the "IF" in the case.
Nigeria and a waste of time in law

@FL Glators, but they can cook all document that will show that d girl is not a minor. but we all knw the girl is nothing but a minor

aderinsoye:

@FL Glators, but they can cook all document that will show that d girl is not a minor. but we all knw the girl is nothing but a minor

There is no book the can cook abt this unless the case will openly go the way of others we have had in Nigeria.
Tell me how they can cook the documents while
1. this girl already had a record with the Nigerian Embassy in Egypt of spouse Visa rejection based on his age ( Not sure anyways coz i dont trust Nigerian medias anymore).

2 She is foreigner and not a Nigerian and I believe Egypt is more advance for you to cook such book as birth certificate.

3. Moreover this girl must have had an international passport b4 she was able to visit Nigeria.

4. For the girl to be sent back to Egypt after Marriage until she becomes 18 is a clear evident that she was not 18 b4 the marriage contract took place in ABJ. So if they want to sentence the guy, there are clear evidences to do that, but as usually Nigerian court will clear him of all the charges and declare him innocent.  I cant wait for this Cow to serve 5years imprisonment , what is 500,000naira? I want him spend some time in prison where they will disvirgin his a$$, let him know how painful it is for an under age girl to be disvirgined by a 56year old man. BASTTARD!!

Time will tell

the issue is not if found guilty rather if he is guilty of challanging the ruling cabals.
had it been it was ibori that is involved, sub-marines, helicolpter, armoured tanks and all military weapons will be used to kill or arrest him and 2 days will be enough to conclude the case.
now that we have a gov that does not impose any threat to the 2011 elections, if is the word.

oge4real:

^^^ Its all about getting newa birth certificats and claiming the girl is 17 yrs and 11months. What then will u do?

aderinsoye:

@FL Glators, but they can cook all document that will show that d girl is not a minor. but we all knw the girl is nothing but a minor

princekevo:

There is no book the can cook abt this unless the case will openly go the way of others we have had in Nigeria.
Tell me how they can cook the documents while
1. this girl already had a record with the Nigerian Embassy in Egypt of spouse Visa rejection based on his age ( Not sure anyways coz i dont trust Nigerian medias anymore).

2 She is foreigner and not a Nigerian and I believe Egypt is more advance for you to cook such book as birth certificate.

3. Moreover this girl must have had an international passport b4 she was able to visit Nigeria.

4. For the girl to be sent back to Egypt after Marriage until she becomes 18 is a clear evident that she was not 18 b4 the marriage contract took place in ABJ. So if they want to sentence the guy, there are clear evidences to do that, but as usually Nigerian court will clear him of all the charges and declare him innocent.  I cant wait for this Cow to serve 5years imprisonment , what is 500,000naira? I want him spend some time in prison where they will disvirgin his a$$, let him know how painful it is for an under age girl to be disvirgined by a 56year old man. BASTTARD!!

Well, then let's hope that Egypt doesnt take bribe from Yerima and his cohorts

Yerima faces jail term [size=50pt]IF[/size] found guilty

borat , u r right. IF. NIGERIA SENATOR. that IF is strong man.

~Borat~:

Yerima faces jail term [size=50pt]IF[/size] found guilty

GBAM!