A Katsina State Chief Magistrates’ Court has convicted a gang of four men of criminal conspiracy, abduction and adultery and sentenced them to two weeks’ imprisonment for the offences.
In addition to the jail term, the court also ordered the convicts to be caned. They were to each receive six strokes of cane, the court ordered.
It, however, gave each of them the option of paying a fine of N12,000 instead of serving the jail term and being caned.
The convicts are Ahmed Lawal, Abdulmalik Mustapha, Adamu Khalid and Abubakar Lawal.
They had on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the three counts brought against them by the police.
The four men, who were residents of Rafukka Quarters in Katsina, allegedly committed the offence on December 20, 2017.
The police told the court that on the said date, a report was lodged at the Central Police Station, Katsina that the men criminally conspired and abducted two girls from Abattoir Quarters, Katsina and took them to an unknown destination where they sexually assaulted them.
The complaint was said to have been lodged by one Ahmadu Ado of Tundun Yanlaludda Quarters and Sani Labo of Rafukka Quarters, Katsina.
The initial charges against the convicts were, however, modified upon the completion of police investigation.
The prosecutor, Inspector Sani Ado, told the court that the initial First Information Report had to be substituted to reflect the outcome of police investigation.
The convicts, who opted for summary trial, pleaded guilty to the three charges and pleaded for leniency.
The presiding chief magistrate, Hajiya Falilat Dikko, said the four men were convicted and punished under sections 97, 273 and 287 of the Penal Code.
She said, “Having pleaded guilty to the charges, this court has convicted all the four accused persons of criminal conspiracy, abduction and adultery punishable under Sections 97, 273 and 287 of the Penal Code.”
Dikko added, “This court has also taken notice of the mitigation pleas by the convicts and the fact that they are all first offenders, hence they are being given options of fine in lieu of imprisonment.
“The convicts are to pay N2,000 each for the offences of criminal conspiracy or in default, serve two weeks in prison for abduction, they are also to pay N5,000 each or serve five months’ imprisonment; The same goes for adultery where each convict is to pay a fine of N5,000 or serve five months’ imprisonment.
“The convicts are, in addition, also to receive six strokes of cane to serve as deterrent to others while they are also to sign letters of undertaking to be of good behaviour, henceforth.”
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