A High Court in the Obi local government area of Nasarawa State has jailed a senior lecturer at the Federal University of Lafia for allegedly assaulting his female student, Blessing Mathias, 20.
The convict, Dr. Fred Ayokahi, is said to have been in detention at the Nigeria Correctional Services in Lafia since October 2022 after he was arrested over offenses bothering on criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, abduction, and voluntarily causing grievous hurt without provocation, and assault.
He was reportedly arraigned alongside Emmanuella Ayokahi, Bob-Praise Ayokahi, and Saint-Dan Ayokahsas as 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants, all his children, while another accomplice is still at large.
OsunDaily News learned that the defense counsel, Barr. A. U. Idris, had approached the court for a plea bargain after his clients pleaded guilty to the crime.
It was gathered that both parties consented to the plea bargain agreement, and charges against the 1st and the 4th defendants were amended.
The convict and the 2nd to 4th defendants were hitherto charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy and physical assault with canes and sticks, contrary to sections 96 and 264 and punishable under sections 97 and 265 of the Penal Code, Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, respectively.
Presiding over the matter on April 20, 2023, Justice S. W. Ayenajeh convicted the 1st defendant and sentenced him to jail for six months for criminal conspiracy and another six months for assault.
The judge noted that Ayokahi’s sentence would run concurrently in consideration of his plea. The Judge also pointed out that the six months period in which the convicted lecturer had been in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service would be reckoned with.
He added that consequent upon the plea bargain and taking into cognizance the ages of his children, the 2nd to 4th defendants would keep the premises of the Nasarawa State High Court of Justice clean for six months, while the third defendant was admonished to shave his dreg locks.
Dr. Ayokahi thanked His Lordship and the parties in the matter for the consideration and the leniency accorded him.
The convict, however, drew the attention of the court that, as a father and teacher in the federal institution, he was not and has never been found wanting in the discharge of his duties, adding that he had taken further steps to compensate the victim, Blessing Mathias, as part of his consent for the plea bargain.
The prosecuting counsel and the State Attorney-General, Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, said the step taken by the government was to provide for the defendant a second chance in life, particularly the children.
