NAN-H-108
Imprisonment
Benin, Feb. 15, 2017 (NAN) An Egor Magistrates’ Court in Benin on Wednesday sentenced three persons to 12 months imprisonment each for possession of illegal firearms.
The convicts, Ayo Olatunji, Isaiah Idanedanegbe and Ugbo Ogie, were found guilty on a charge of illegal possession of firearms.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Igho Braimah, who delivered the judgment, however, gave them an option of fine of N50, 000 each.
Braimah said that while the prison term would run concurrently, the fine option of N50, 000 would be cumulative.
He ordered that the firearms should be forfeited to the Edo Government and handed over to the police.
Before the judgment was handed down, Counsel to Idanedaegbe, Mr I.B. Omoifo, asked the magistrate to be lenient with his client, who was a first offender.
Omoifo also noted that being a young man with potential and having been of good behaviour all through the trial, his client should be cautioned and discharged.
“He is a young man who has been of good behaviour through this trial. I urge the court to consider this. It is only human to err.
“I am also urging this court to consider the fact that this young man has no previous criminal record. I plead passionately for the second accused to be cautioned and discharged,” he appealed.
The judgment brings to an end, the case of the three men, who were first arraigned before the court on March 31, 2014.
The charge stated that the offence was committed on Oct. 12, 2012, around Edaiken Primary School Road at Uselu in Benin. (NAN)
ESI/MA/SN
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Edited by Silas Nwoha