PSN Give Member Jailed For Sodomy Clean Bill  

The Abuja branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, has stated its stance on the conviction of its member, Dr. Abubakar Danraka, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by Justice Asmau Akanbi-Yusuf of the FCT High Court, on the 18th of September, 2023 on grounds of sodomy.

In a press statement signed by the chairman, Pharm. Ifeanyi Ikebudu, the professional body stated that their colleague and friend, Dr. Danraka, is a man of impeccable character who has carved a niche for himself in the noble profession of Pharmacy, and was therefore not capable of such an abominable act, adding that he was undeservedly jailed and would soon prove his innocence and be vindicated.

“Dr. Abubakar Dankara is one of our finest, a Pharmacist of no mean repute, an astute professional who has carved a niche for himself and the pharmacy profession everywhere he has worked as testified by his subordinates, peers and superiors.

“He was undeservedly jailed for an alleged act of sodomy which every one of us doubted that he could be involved in an abominable act of that nature,” reads the statement.

The society further stated that it was totally unbelievable and untenable that their colleague would be handed a sentence as grievous as life imprisonment for a crime he had consistently and vehemently denied, adding that they have studied the judgment and have come to the conclusion that the sentence was a travesty of justice.

“It is unbelievable and untenable that he could be convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment as pronounced by the FCT High Court Judge on Monday, 18th September 2023, for a crime he has consistently and vehemently denied committing.

“We have obtained and read through the judgment and the processes leading to it. We have consulted his legal representative and that of the Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, and there is a consensus that the judgment of life imprisonment delivered against him was a travesty of justice,” declared the society.

PSN further disclosed that Danraka did not by any chance commit the crime for which he was sentenced and that his predicament is linked to the rancour between him and the father of the alleged victim, a pharmacy technician at the National Hospital, Abuja, who had threatened to destroy him.

“We know that Pharm (Dr) Abubakar Danraka did not commit the offence. We know him to be a man committed to his words and stand always for what is true and just. We were aware of the rancour between him and the father of the purported victim, a pharmacy technician at National Hospital, Abuja, where Danraka is still on the nominal roll as an Assistant Director Pharmacist but is currently on secondment to NIPRD in Idu, Abuja. The pharmacy technician had threatened to destroy Danraka and this conviction could have been the outcome of a well-executed threat,” reads the statement.

Further affirming Danraka’s innocence, PSN stated that the investigating police officers did not do due diligence in their prosecution as they did not consider the alibi in favour of Danraka which proved that he was not present at the scene of the crime when the crime was allegedly committed, adding that the presiding judge must have been under tremendous pressure from the involvement of NAPTIP in the case, to have glossed over the evidence of innocence submitted and handing him such a fatal sentence.

“We hold that the investigating police officers did not do a good job of considering Danraka’s alibi of his engagements at the time the crime was purportedly committed. We also hold that the judge must have been under tremendous pressure with the involvement of NAPTIP to gloss over the evidence of innocence submitted and to award the maximum sentence possible to a first offender,” stated the professional body.

And as a way of showing solidarity with their colleague, the society resolved to rally around Danraka and his family in these trying times and support in appealing his sentence to the end that his innocence is proven and he is unconditionally discharged and acquitted.

“Consequently, we have decided to rally around our colleague, Dr. Abubakar Danraka, in this serious hour of need. We will support him and his family to appeal the judgment with the very strong belief that his innocence will be proven and the judgment be upturned and Pharm (Dr) Abubakar Danraka will be unconditionally discharged and acquitted,” reads the statement.