By INUSA NDAHI, Maiduguri
The Special Court Martial of the Operation Lafiya Dole sitting in Maiduguri has on Tuesday dismissed Flight Lt. Martins Ewerem for raping and assaulting a 14 year old Zara Ali an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) at the famous Bakassi IDP camp Maiduguri.
In his judgement at the Officer Mess of the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, the President of the Court, Major General Yakubu Auta said ” this hourable court has found flight Lt. Martins Ewerem with NAF No 97701 as follows:, the accused has been dismissed for been found guilty of count charge one, the court has discharged and aquited the accused for count charge two, also the accused has been sentenced to reduced in his rank and lost of seniority for three years for found guilty of count three charges”.
Major General Auta said the judgement of the court is subject to the confirmation of the higher military authority in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Having listened to the testimonies of the witnesses, testimony and evidence of the medical worker , Mulikat Kareem, the court has found the accused guilty as testified by the accused in his personal testimony that he flogged the victim and inserted his hand into her vagina, as well as medical record brought to the court,.,” Major General Auta stated..
While reading the summary of both defence and prosecuting witnesses, the Judge Advocate of the court, Captain Aminu Mairuwa said the accused who defiled a 14 year old IDP on 29, September, 2018, was facing three count charges of defiling, assault and disobedience of standing order.
The Judge Advocate said ” the accused who was on a special patrol mission from Dalwa unit, was said to have seen the victim, Zara Ali and her friends, who went to fetch firewood, on sighting them he ordered his soldiers to arrest them, accusing them of being suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers, and asked them to lay down, despite , not finding anything incriminating, the accused dragged the victim into the bush and insert his hands in her vagina where he eventuality defiled and assaulted the victim “.
The defence Counsel, Barrister Abbas Alhaji while pleading with the court said ” I urge the court to temper justice with mercy, as going by the records of the accused he was a first offender, his contributions to the Armed Forces and having family and dependants. I urge this honourable court to temper justice with mercy.
Our correspondent report that the 14 year old Zara Ali, an IDP from Bakkassi camp was allegedly raped by the flight Lt. Ewerem on 29, September 2018, when they went to fetch firewood for their families.
Our correspondent also gatheted that the victim was brought to international Rescue Committee Hospital. Bakassi camp, Maiduguri where her physical examiinations indicates that brushes were found on her body, while vaginal examinations indicates that there was a penetration into her private parts.