Unemployed man jailed 6 months for causing grievous hurt

An Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada, FCT on Wednesday, sentenced an unemployed man, Onyedikachi Joseph to six months imprisonment for causing grievous hurt.

The police charged Joseph who resides in Angwan Dodo Gwagwalada, FCT with causing grievous hurt.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency, adding that the victim did not offend him.

“I was not in my right senses. They sent this thing to me and once it entered me I hit her. I am very sorry for what I did”, he pleaded.

The Defence Counsel, Mr A.U. Ofoji, in his plea for mercy, told the court that the victim had serious mental issues and depression.

Ofoji added that those that know about his illness were not around when he committed the act.

He pleaded with the court to show the convict mercy, saying he had no previous criminal records.

The Judge, Malam Abdullahi Abdulkarim, convicted and sentenced Joseph without an option of fine.

Abdulkarim ordered the convict to pay a fine of N20,000 or in default should serve another six months imprisonment, adding that the sentence would run consecutively.

He also ordered the convict to pay N70,000 to the victim as compensation being money she spent to treat herself and the trauma she went through as a result of the injury.

“The convict who is a first time offender, has shown remorse for his act and has no previous criminal records also admitted to the offence without labouring the court,” he said.

He warned the convict to desist from committing crime in future and ordered that any one not satisfied with the judgment should apply to FCT High Court within 30 days of the judgment.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu told the court that Adamu Aishat of Angwan Dodo Gwagwalada Abuja reported the matter at Gwagwalada police station on June 24.

Yakubu said that on June 23 the convict attacked the complainant. Hajarat Hussein on her way to visit a friend.

As a result of the attack, the prosecutor said Hussein sustained serious injuries on her head.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 241 of the Penal Code.