As a measure to curtail increase in rape cases in Kaduna, the State House of Assembly has approved castration as punishment for anyone convicted to have raped a minor and women in rape in the state.
Aside from castration, the lawmakers also approved that anyone convicted to have raped a minor should be sentenced to life imprisonment while anyone that committed the act with an adult should be incarcerated for 21 years.
The approval was contained in the amendment of the State Penal Code (No.5), law of 2017 which stipulates stiffer penalties for rapists in the state as part of the effort to protect women and children against any form of gender violence.
Addressing newsmen after the amendment on Friday, spokesman for the House, Musa Ahmed, said that the lawmakers believe that with stringent measures in place, rape cases would reduce drastically in the state.
The spokesman said: “Anyone convicted of rape will have his organ surgically removed so that even upon completion of his jail term, will not be able to commit the crime again”.
Ahmed said in addition to the castration of the convicted rapist, the new law entails 21 years imprisonment for the rape of an adult and life imprisonment for the rape of a minor.
Earlier during a public hearing on the Bill seeking the amendment of the penal code last month, the wife of the Kaduna state Governor, Ummi El-Rufai, proposed either castration or death sentence for rapists, even as she described such act as a gross violation of the rights of women and children.
While she expressed concern that an average of five rape cases especially minors are recorded in Kaduna State on daily basis, the governor’s wife noted that only severe penalties for rapists in the state penal code will serve as a deterrent to others.
