An Upper Area Court in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State has ordered the remand of one Jediel Sylvester after he admitted to impregnating his biological daughter and blamed his actions on “lust.”
Presiding Judge, Hon. Kabiru Musa, ordered the defendant’s detention pending further proceedings on Monday following his guilty plea to charges of incest, criminal intimidation, and assault.
The case, marked UACG/NO1/CR/FI/113/26, was brought before Upper Area Court No. 1 in Ganye through a direct criminal complaint filed by the victim and her uncle, Mohammed Audi, under Section 111 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Adamawa State, 2018.
According to the complainants, Audi told the court that Sylvester is married to his sister—the victim’s mother—and had repeatedly sexually abused their daughter, resulting in a pregnancy.
The court heard that Sylvester himself took the girl to a medical practitioner after she complained of missing her menstrual period. A clinical examination confirmed she was about three months pregnant, according to prosecution witnesses.
Audi further testified that the defendant pressured his daughter to accuse another man of being responsible for the pregnancy. However, the victim reportedly insisted that no other person had ever had sexual intercourse with her.
The complainants also alleged that Sylvester attempted to procure an abortion but was advised against it on medical grounds, as the pregnancy had advanced to three months, making termination unsafe.
In her testimony before the court, the victim alleged that her father routinely assaulted her—physically and psychologically—before forcing himself on her. She told the court that he beat, threatened, and intimidated her regularly to compel compliance.
The complainants maintained that the defendant’s conduct constitutes offences of incest, criminal intimidation, and assault, contrary to Sections 367, 382, and 242 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa State.
When the charges were read and interpreted to him in open court, Sylvester pleaded guilty without reservation and attributed his despicable acts to “lust.”
Following his admission, the court ordered his remand in a correctional facility and adjourned the case for further proceedings.
