An Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos, on Tuesday sentenced a 40-year-old dry cleaner, Joseph John, to 15 years in prison for defiling an eight-year-old girl.
The Judge, Mr Lawal Suleiman, sentenced John after he pleaded guilty to a charge of defilement.
NAN reports that Suleiman held that the convict should serve out his term without an option of fine.
He said that he hoped it would serve as deterrent to those who would want to indulge in such an act.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Monday Dabit told the court that the case was reported on August 8, by one of Fumilayo Adeboyi of Gondola Jos, the girl‘s mother and complainant.
Dabit said the defendant, who resides at Nasarawa Gwong area of Jos, was caught touching the girl on her private parts.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened the provision of Section 208 of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria.
The defendant had begged the court for mercy, saying it was the devil that pushed him into the act.