Daily Trust, Abuja, 13 June 2008

Student gets 10 lashes for car theft

By Sikiru M. Jimoh

An Abuja magistrate yesterday ruled that a 17 year-old studentbe given 10 strokes of the cane and made to clean-up the courtpremises for conspiring with another person on the run to steal acar.

The student, Haruna Moses was punished for acting jointly withone Sam Loko (now on the run) to steal a Volkswagen Golf carbelonging to one Iliya Ifu of Jikwoyi.

The Court Registrar, Mr Tijani Ahmed, while reading the FirstInformation Report (FIR) informed the court that on April 30,Mallam Iliya Ifu reported to the police that the student and SamLoko made away with his car from where it was parked in a Hotelat Nyanya, Abuja.

"The car was valued at the sum of N180, 000 and hasengine number 0261033730 and chassis number NR 339088," hesaid.

Prosecutor Stephen Eimoga equally told the court that when thepolice investigated the case, the student admitted committing thecrime.

"The exhibit was recovered in their possession," headded.

When the charges were read to the accused in the firsthearing, he denied them and the prosecutor objected to his bailrequest.

"The first accused person is at large and releasing thesecond accused person will impede the smooth running ofjustice," he argued.

Trial magistrate, Ahmed Ndajuwo granted the application of theprosecutor remanded the student in prison and adjourned thecase.

At the second hearing yesterday, the student changed his pleato guilty and the prosecutor informed the court that the accusedhas no previous record of crime.

Before announcing sentence, Magistrate Ndajuwo said heconsidered the age of the accused and the fact that the stolencar had been recovered.

He said the student had to be punished to serve as a deterrentto him and other future offenders.

"I hereby order that the accused be given ten lashes ofthe cane and he is to equally weed and clean up the premises ofthe court," the magistrate ruled.

 Any of the parties not satisfied with the judgment wasgiven the right to appeal within thirty days of the judgment.

The Tide, Port Harcourt, 27 June 2008

Man bags 10 years jail term over rape

A 43 years old man Mr. James Obasi has bagged 10 years jailterm and forty one strokes of cane for raping a 13 years oldgirl.

An Ikeja magistrate court presided over by magistrate AbosedeBotoku sentenced the accused who pleaded not guilty to theoffence but was found guilty over the charge of raping a 13 yearsold house-maid.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Bartholomew Nwaokanya calledfor witness, including the young girl, her elder sister, amedical doctor and a police officer, who all testified againstthe rapist in the court.

The Tide on a good ground gathered that the 43 years old manwho resides at Onilekere area of Lagos allegedly slept with thehouse maid (name withheld) in October 2007.

In her judgement, the presiding magistrate Abosede said thatthe evidence brought before the court by the prosecutor were sooverwhelming and proved beyond reasonable doubt, that the accusedwas guilty as charged.

The presiding judge, who considered the gravity of the offenceas a wicked act against humanity said, "if she has thepower, she would have sentenced the accused to life imprisonmentadding, "Men of such immoral character deserved punishmentto serve as deterrent to others.

According to her, the prison term shall run concurrently andshall commence from the day he was remanded in prison custody.

Meanwhile the accused Mr. James Obasi pleaded that themagistrate should temper justice with mercy and granted himfreedom to take care of the child that would be delivered by theteenage girl.