Court jails Lebanese national over sexual exploitation of two teenagers

A federal high court in Kano has sentenced Zuhier Akar, a 67-year-old Lebanese national, to 14 years in prison for sexually exploiting two teenage girls.

In the judgment delivered on Thursday, S M Shu’aibu, the trial judge, sentenced Akar without an option of fine.

The judge also ordered Akar to pay an additional fine of N2 million for the offence.

Shu’aibu ruled that the prosecution team proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

THE CASE

The Kano command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) had arraigned Akar, a resident of Gidan Wanka, Fagge LGA in Kano, on a two-count charge of trafficking and sexual exploitation.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

Abdullahi Babale, the prosecution counsel, told the court that the Kano command of the Department of State Services (DSS) reported the matter to the agency on September 5, 2024.

The prosecution presented four exhibits, including the confessional statement of the defendant and the victims’ testimony, to the court to prove its case.

He said the offence contravenes the provisions of section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 and punishable under Section 26(1) of the same act.

“The defendant procured the 14 and 15-year-old girls at the Civic Centre road near Suya spot, took them to his house and sexually exploited them,” he said.

“A video of the defendant having sexual misconduct with the victims was posted on social media.”