Second teen mum awaits flogging
2001-01-11 20:32
Katsina - A second teenage girl in northern Nigeria is awaiting a public flogging after being found guilty by an Islamic court of engaging
in pre-marital sex, her family told AFP on Thursday.
The girl is 18-year-old Attine Tanko, living in the town of
Malunfashi, in the north of Katsina State.
Tanko was found guilty on November 15 by the Islamic court in
Malunfashi of 'zina' after being discovered to be pregnant while
unmarried.
Her 23-year-old boyfriend, Lawal Sada, was given a sentence of 100
lashes of the whip, carried out in public the same day, and jailed
for one year.
Tanko is still to give birth and is living with her parents, family
members told AFP on Thursday, asking not to be named.
The court ruled in late November that Tanko should be allowed to wean the baby for 18 months to two years after she delivers and should then receive her punishment of 100 lashes.
Court judge Umar Shehu also ruled that she should take a loan, if
necessary, to spend 100 naira (80 cents) per day on herself and her
baby.
And that after he is released from prison, her boyfriend should repay the money.
Local radio reported in November that Tanko was reported to the court after she confessed to her father that she was pregnant and Sada was the father of her child.
Last year, nine northern Nigerian states including Zamfara and Katsina introduced or declared plans to introduce the Islamic law
known as the Sharia, though one, Niger State, has since partly
rescinded. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA