Court convicts tax force member of mischief, fixes sentencing for May
A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kubwa, Abuja, on Tuesday, convicted a 40-year-old task force member, Stanley Eduka, of mischief and adjourned his sentencing till May 6.
It was reported that Eduka was convicted after he had pleaded guilty to attempt to commit an offence and mischief, preferred against him by the police.
He, however, begged the court for leniency.
The Magistrate, Oyepeju Mustapha, held that the court worked with proof and not speculations, adding that it was not enough for the prosecution, John Okpa, to apply for N1,750,000 compensation without proof.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel told the court that the complainant, Iyoha Joseph, reported the matter at Dawaki Divisional Police Station on April 22.
Okpa said that Eduka and two others, now at large, entered the complainant’s car on Gwarinpa-Kubwa expressway, Abuja, where he had parked it due to over- heating.
He said as the complainant asked Eduka and two others who they were, they started struggling with him on the steering, while passers-by had to come to his rescue.
“The two others jumped down from the car and ran away, while Eduka continued struggling with the complainant until he entered a gutter and damaged the passenger’s side of the car,” the prosecution said.
He, therefore, applied for compensation, pursuant to Section 78 of the Penal Code and Section 319 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Okpa urged the court to order Eduka to pay the complainant N1,750,000 as compensation for the damaged car.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 95 and 327 of the Penal Code.
