A Ganye Upper Area Court in Adamawa State has handed down a 30-year prison term to Jediel Sylvester. He was found guilty of sexually abusing his biological daughter, which resulted in a pregnancy.
Presiding Judge Kabiru Musa sentenced Sylvester to 15 years for incest, 10 years for criminal intimidation, and five years for assault. These sentences will be served consecutively, meaning the total time behind bars is 30 years. While the incest and intimidation charges come with options for fines, the assault charge carries no such alternative. The defendant retains the right to appeal the verdict to the Adamawa State High Court within 30 days.
The court reviewed evidence including the victim’s testimony, which revealed that Sylvester frequently coerced her into sexual acts through threats. Judge Musa noted the defendant’s own guilty plea and the corroborating statements from the victim’s uncle, Mohammed Audi. Audi testified that after the victim became pregnant, Sylvester pressured her to blame someone else and attempted to force her to have an abortion, both of which she refused.
Declaring the crimes a profound betrayal of the natural trust inherent in parenthood, the judge convicted Sylvester under sections 367, 382, and 242 of the Adamawa State Penal Code. Sylvester admitted to the charges in court, acknowledging that he had replaced his paternal duties with predatory behavior.