BENIN CITY – An Evbuoariaria Magistrate Court Sitting in Benin City on Monday sentenced four persons to two years imprisonment without option of fine for malicious damage, conspiracy and assault to occasional harm.

The convicts are: Sunday Dickson ‘M’ 57, Efosa Edosomwan ‘m’ 27 (now at large), Samson Ewansiha ‘m’ 40 and Kelly Ogbeide ‘m’ 33. They are members of Ukhiri village in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Delivering his judgement in the suit No: MEV/230c/2018/A, Magistrate, S.A Ugah, Esq held that the petitioner Raymond Enogieru had established his case beyond reasonable doubt as evidences adduced by the petitioner were satisfactory by the court.

He noted that the four convicts after committing the offence decided to add legal colouration to their crime by inviting the police for the purported arrest of the people of Ulegun Village, an antics he sternly frowned at.

Ugah remarked that no matter how brilliant the submission of counsel it cannot take the place of evidence and he liken the convicts submissions to a case of “a goat accusing a rabbit of oppressing it”

” I hereby hold that the four defendants in this case, Sunday Dickson Igiebor, Efosa Edosomwan, Samson Ewansiha and Kelly Ogbeide are guilty as charged.

“The four defendants are hereby convicted to 3 months inprisonment in Count 1, 7 months imprisonment with hard labour in Count II and 1 year imprisonment in Count V. The term of imprisonment shall be consecutively”.

“Considering the level of damage done by the four defendants, I hereby order the defendants to pay the sum of N20,000 each to the PW1and PW2”, Magistrate Ugah held

The convicts were discharged and acquitted in count two and four of the charge while the court also fined the four convicts who had earlier pleaded with the Magistrate for leniency N20,000 each for damages.

Recall that the four convicts were on April 4, 2018 arraigned in court by prosecutor C.S.O Nnamdi Esq on a five count charge bothering on malicious damage, assault to occasional harm and conspiracy amongst others.

Reacting, counsel to the petitioner, Oiwoh Pius Esq hailed the judgment, noting that it was a well researched judgement as well as victory for the oppressed.

The petitioner, Mr. Raymond Enogieru while commending the court for the judgment said the Court’s verdict has further brought hope for the oppressed.

‘I believe there is a bright future in the country if the judiciary stand to protect the weak as seen today in the judgment.

Meanwhile, the court described the action of HRH, Aigbe Osayande, the Enogie of Ukhiri Village, a witness in the case as insolent, wondering why will a village head go with the police to make a purported arrest in Ulegun Village, maintaining that the village head was lucky not to have been charged with the convicts, hence, he would have been found guilty of the charges as well.