- Six persons have been convicted and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment each for destroying properties belonging to one Christiana Oko Obila and Augustina Ukpai, valued three million, twenty-nine thousand, nine hundred naira.
They were convicted by a High court sitting in Afikpo, Ebonyi state, while the incident happened at Ubam village, Ugwuegu community in Afikpo North local government area of Ebonyi state.
The victims reported the incident to the police and the six suspects were arrested and charged to court by the police.
The convicts, Uche Daniel Udoka, Uche Nicholas Ogbonnia, Ogbonnia Uche Kelechi, Eluu Uche Alphosus, John Oko Uche and Uche Emmanuel Ezeali, were charged for conspiracy, intimidation, assault, malicious damage and stealing. They were said to have assaulted the women and inflicted injuries on them.
They were charged on charge number HAF/12C/2019. The state was the complainant on the matter while Bar. J.E Nwaonumah, Deputy Director of the state Ministry of Justice appeared for the defendants.
The presiding Judge, Justice Iheanacho Chima, in his judgment on the matter, found all the six accused persons guilty of the offence and sentenced them to 12 months imprisonment each.
He said: “It is consequently the finding of this court that the prosecution successfully proved against all the defendants the offences of conspiracy to commit felony contrary to section 516 A(a) of the Criminal Code Cap 33 vol 1. Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009, malicious damage contrary to section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap 33 Vol. 1 Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“Accordingly, consequent upon the credible and convincing evidence by the prosecution against all the defendants, I find you Uche Daniel Udoka, Uche Nichlolas Ogbonnia, Ogbonnia Uche Kelechi, Eluu Uche Alphosus, John Oko Uche and Uche Emmanuel Ezeali guilty of the offences of conspiracy and malicious damage of the property of Christiana Oko Obila.
“Being first offenders, each of the defendants, be and I hereby sentenced to twelve(12) months in prison for the offence of conspiracy and twelve(12) months in prison for the offence of malicious damage.
“It is further order of this court that the terms of imprisonment are to be run concurrently for all the defendants. That means that each of the six defendants is to spend a total of twelve months in prison or pay a total of N40,000 each in lieu of imprisonment”.