A Bauchi Based Non-Governmental Organization, Attah Sisters’ Helping Hands Foundation has accused medical doctors, police, parents and judges of protecting rapists and pedophiles as cases of gender based violence continue to soar in the state.
The NGO made the accusation on Saturday during a stakeholders training aimed at boosting the capacity of local actors to confront the scourge of violence against women and girls in the State, which took place at Hazibal Suites.
Mr. Genesis Basu of the Bauchi Human Right Commission during his submission at the training on Saturday said, “Parents, police, courts and doctors they each have their peculiar problems which are enimical to proper handling and treating rape cases to logical conclusion in courts.
Mr. Genesis said parents ought to desist from the habit of washing the blood that comes with forceful canal penetration because it is vital evidence which will be required in court or at the level of police Investigation.
“Instead of washing the blood, take pictures of the victim bleeding and report the matter to the police,” Mr Genesis cautioned parents.
He said parents should also do away with the urge and pressure to opt for out of court settlement of rape cases because doing so will help the perpetrators evade justice.
Genesis argued that medical experts delay report of rape victims which usually causes setback to police in their bid to go ahead with prosecutions.
“Police need a medical report from hospitals without which they cannot go ahead with the prosecution. It used to take up to a week or more for hospitals to prepare medical reports.”
The human right specialist said rape cases have been truncated on the table of the police as they released culprists without proper conviction.
Corroborating, Mallam Maikudi Ibrahim, a father of rape victim whose daughter’s case was not properly handled by the police said, “We went to a police station to report the matter. And, after two weeks, having done all the needed investigations including medical examination.
“They keep on saying that the matter will be taken to court but day in day out, the case is yet to be referred to court,” he soberly said.
In her remarks, Mrs. Comfort Attach, Executive Director, ASHH Foundation decried the inability and ineptness of police at interpreting medical reports to decode the content of the report to enable them refer the case to court.
Mrs Comfort advised the police to forge a collaboration with medical doctors to handle rape medical report which is a sinconone evidence for prosecution in court.
Aliyu Bin Idris, Solicitor General/ Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Ministry of Justice said Governor Bala Abdulkadir has been releasing witness fees funds to cater for costs witnesses incur before or during testimony submission before a court of law.
“With the fund, we are able to sponsor the plight and accommodation of a witness from Lagos down to Bauchi to give testimony in respect of a rape cases.
He said the Bauchi Ministry of Justice has 18 cases dwelling on rape and gender based violence and have secured conviction for six cases saying “some of the convicted persons bags life imprisonment.”
The one day training themed Capacity Building for 30 Stakeholders to Bridge the Impunity Gap and Mitigate Against SGBV Cases in Bauchi State was sponsored by ActionAid.
