A Kano State High Court has sentenced a local football coach, Hayatu Muhammad, to eight years imprisonment for sodomising one of his underage players.

The judgment, delivered on Wednesday by Justice Musa Dahuru Muhammad, found the coach guilty on two separate counts of sodomy — without the option of a fine.

According to the prosecution, Hayatu, who resides in the Sanka area of Kano metropolis, committed the offence twice in different locations. Despite initially pleading not guilty, the evidence presented by the state proved otherwise.

The state counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Arif Garba, called five witnesses who testified against the defendant, providing credible evidence that established his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

In his defence, the convict testified alone, denying the allegations.

However, after evaluating all testimonies and evidence, Justice Dahuru ruled that the prosecution had successfully proven the case in line with Section 284 of the Penal Code Law, which criminalises sodomy.

The court consequently sentenced Hayatu to four years’ imprisonment on each of the two counts, with the sentences to run concurrently — meaning he will serve a total of eight years in prison starting from the day of judgment.