A Magistrates’ Court in Kaduna has sentenced a 34-year-old trader, Jibrin Yusuf, to 10 strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and assault for attacking his friend over a N3,000 debt.
Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel delivered the ruling on Wednesday, stating that the court showed leniency because Yusuf admitted his guilt without wasting time. He warned the convict against repeating such actions, emphasizing that the court would not be as lenient next time.
Emmanuel also ordered Yusuf to pay the complainant, Abubakar Haruna N230,000 as restitution.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Chidi Leo, had told the court that on Feb. 16, Haruna, who lives in the same compound with the convict, reported the matter at the Gabasawa Police Station.
Leo said the complainant, who had sometime in the past borrowed the money from his neighbour, was quitely in his room.
On the fateful day, the convict came and demanded for his money, but Haruna could not produce it, and this led to an altercation between the two, the prosecutor said
Leo said that the convict later mobilised four boys, now at large, trespassed into the complainant ‘s room, beat him up, destroyed his property worth N50,000 and stole his brother’s phone valued at N180,000.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.