Tina Amanda
A Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has sentenced 26 years old Benjamin Bernard to four years imprisonment for conspiracy and stealing.
The accused was said to have conspired with one Emmanuel Nkasi now at large, to breake into a building located at 25 Ikwerre Road, Mile 1, Diobu Port Harcourt where they stole properties worth one hundred and sixty thousand naira and sold it for twenty-six thousand naira.
Chief Magistrate Felicitas Amanze convicted the accused to one year imprisonment on count one and three years in count two which is to run concurrently, a criminal offence punishable under section 516 and 390 of Criminal Code Cap 37 VOL 2 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.
The Chief Magistrate held that the court was lenient enough to sentence the accused to four years instead of ten years, for not wasting the time of the court and pleading guilty to the offence charged.
Meanwhile, Chief Magistrate Felicitas Amanze remanded Ibezhim Daniel, a 41 year old to prison custody for the murder of his cousin, late Ekene Jonathan, on 20 August, 2021, at Ihu-Bush, Ihuakpa community in Ahoada West local government area.
The suspect was alleged to have macheted late Ekene Jonathan severally to death in a farm, over a land related dispute, a crime punishable under section 319 of the criminal code Cap 37 VOL 2 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.
In her ruling, Chief Magistrate Amanze said the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case and adjourned to 3rd February, 2022, for Director of Public Prosecution advice.
