Man, 27 to spend 18 months in prison for extortion

Man, 27 to spend 18 months in prison for extortion
NAN-H-50
Extortion
By Blessing Ibegbu
Mararaba (Nasarawa State), July 18, 2017 (NAN) A Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State, on Tuesday sentenced a 27-year-old man, Chigozie Godwin, to 18 months imprisonment for conspiracy and extortion.
The judge, Ibrahim Shekarau, sentenced Godwin after he pleaded guilty to the two-count charge.
“Godwin is hereby sentenced to six months imprisonment or an option of N6,000 fine for the offence of conspiracy, and 12 months imprisonment or an option of N8, 000 fine, for extortion.
“The convict should also pay N135, 000 and N10, 000 as compensations for the value of the extorted handsets and money incurred by the complainant in searching for his whereabouts, respectively,” the judge ordered.
He also ordered that the convict be kept in prison until he pays the entire money.
The convict, who resides at Abacha Barrack, FCT, Abuja, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and extortion, which he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Hamen Donald, had told the court that one Nathaniel Bennet of New Nyanya, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, reported the matter at `A’ Police Division, Mararaba on June 24 at about 6 p.m.
Donald said that the complainant reported that the convict conspired with one other person with an unknown address and attacked him at Tipper Garage, Orange market, Mararaba, on June 23.
“The convict and his ally forcefully collected the complainant’s Samsung Galaxy Tap 4 valued at N100, 000 and Tecno valued at N35, 000.
“Until he was traced and arrested, the convict absconded to an unknown destination while his accomplice was nowhere to be located,” Donald said.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 75 and 292 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
BLE/OFN/OU
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Edited by Felix Nwadioha
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