Aminu Hayatau Tafida, a son of the Special Adviser on Social
Investments to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, and two others
have been sentenced to four years and six-month imprisonment.
Those sentenced alongside Aminu are Umar Abubakar and Masaud
Abubakar Gidado.
The trio were handed an option of N400,000 fine each,
including compensation for alleged circulation of an 18-second unclad video, in a
case that has suffered several adjournments.
Delivering judgement on Tuesday, Chief Magistrate Shu’aibu
Ahmad of the Magistrate Court sitting in Sokoto, said the prosecuting counsel
had proved his case beyond any reasonable doubts and as such, the three accused
persons were convicted for the very offenses put forward before them.
While citing Section 209 ACJN of Sokoto 2019, Shu’aibu,
however, gave opportunity to counsels to the defendants to make any other
submission before reading his sentences.
On the strength of that, counsels to all the defendants
separately but unanimously said they did not intend to call any other witness.
They, however, pleaded that justice should be tempered with mercy on grounds
that all the defendants were youths who had the future before them and
first-time offenders; hence the need to consider option of fine as well.
“We are appealing to this honorable court to show leniency
in its sentence, more so that they have all shown remorsefulness over their
actions. We are, therefore, appealing that other options should also be
considered as sentencing convicts is no longer a fashion this time around.
“If in case this
court so wish to sentence them, the court should be liberal taking into
cognisance the economic hardship being faced this time around, we so appeal,”
they stated.
In his sentence, the presiding magistrate, Shuaibu Ahmad,
said he had taken into consideration the fact that the defendants were
first-time offenders, and that he will therefore be lenient but give maximum
sentence.
Shu’aibu said, for the offences of indecent act which goes
contrary to Section 171 of Sokoto State Penal Code, the defendants are
sentenced to pay a fine of N200,000 each ,whose default will lead to two-year
imprisonment.
He said for the offence of sharing and sale of obscene book,
the defendants are sentenced to pay 50,000 each, for whose default will lead to
two- year imprisonment.
Shu’aibu further said that, for the offence of abatement,
Section 48 of the Sokoto Penal Code provides N50,000 naira or conviction for
six months in the case of default.
Shu’aibu also said that each of the defendants is to pay
N100,000 compensation to the complainant.
Reacting to the development, both the prosecutor, ASP Simon
Sule; and the complainant said they were satisfied with the judgment, and,
according to them, the pronouncements will serve as deterrence to others.
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