Columbus man guilty of raping a minor after testimony from other alleged victims
COLUMBUS, OH (WCMH) – A Columbus man has been found guilty of raping a minor, thanks in part to court testimony from two other alleged victims.
According to the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, 48-year-old Abdiwahab Hassan was found guilty of one count of rape under the age of 13 and one count of gross sexual imposition.
Prosecutors said Hassan knew the victim, while court documents show two witnesses came forward claiming similar experiences when they were under 13 years old.
Despite not calling the police at the time of the alleged abuse, and a motion filed by attorneys to exclude their testimony, a regular judge allowed two witnesses to testify on behalf of the victim, who originally made the accusation to the said witnesses had reported.
Amazon driver puts suspected robber in a headlock until police arrive
The allegation arose on August 4, 2021, when Columbus Police and a detective from the Sexual Assault Unit responded to reports of rape. Officers interviewed an 11-year-old girl who accused Hassan of rape.
The witnesses then told the police that they too were sexually abused between the ages of eleven and seventeen, between 2008-2014 and 2013-2019 respectively. One of the victims claimed that Hassan had impregnated her, a claim later confirmed by DNA evidence.
On Tuesday, a jury found Hassan guilty of both charges and he will next appear in court on December 17 for a sentencing hearing. Hassan faces a maximum prison sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole after fifteen years.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
For breaking news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit NBC4 WCMH-TV.
