The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has signed the Kaduna State Penal Code (Amendment) Law 2020.

According to a Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a statement on Wednesday, Sept. 16th,2020, the amendment updates the penalties for the offence of the rape of a child.

These new provisions include the punishments of surgical castration and bilateral salpingectomy for male and female convicts of child rape, and death.In addition, such convicts will be listed in the Sex Offenders Register to be published by the Attorney-General of the state.

Following Mr El-Rufai’s assent to the amended law on September 11, 2020, the new law has come into effect in Kaduna State.It introduces stricter punishments than the previous law which carried a maximum penalty of 21 years imprisonment for the rape of an adult and life imprisonment for the rape of a child.

Under the amended law, the punishment for the rape of a person older than 14 years will include surgical castration or removal of fallopian tubes, but the death penalty shall not apply.

In cases where the rape convict is also a child, the court shall order an appropriate punishment under the Children and Young Persons Law Cap 26, Laws of Kaduna State 1991