Fake soldier jailed 6 months

A Grade I Area Court in Dei-Dei, Abuja on Thursday sentenced a 31-year-old man Lawal Babangida to six months imprisonment for impersonating a military officer.

Babangida, who lives in Tungamaji village Abuja was charged with impersonation criminal intimidation  and extortion.

The convict pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.

“Please forgive me my lord, I plead for mercy sir.

“I will not commit any crime again’’ Babangida said.

The Area Court judge, Saminu Suleiman however, gave the convict an option of N6,000 fine.

The judge warned the convict to desist from committing crime after serving their punishment.

The prosecutor, Mr Chinedu Ogada, told the court that on Nov. 11 the complainant Usman  Zaiyanu of Tomato Junction Zuba Abuja reported the matter at Zuba Police Station.

Ogade said that on the same date at about 9:30 pm  the convict accosted the complainant at Zuba  Tomato Junction and introduced himself as a military officer.

The prosecutor told the court that the convict criminally threatened  the complainant and stole his cell phone and N10,000 cash.

Ogada said that the convict made confessional statements during police investigations and the offence contravened Sections 132, 321 and 292 of the Penal Code.