An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced one Aluko Oluwademilade to 2 years imprisonment for assault.
The 37 year old convict was arraigned before Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola on 17th January 2022 on one count charge of unlawful assault on his neighbour.
The charge reads, that you Aluko Oluwademilade, on 15/01/2022 at about 1: 00pm at Ado Ekiti Magistarial District did unlawfully assault one Adebayo Oluwatayo and does him harm. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Sec. 355 of the Criminal Code Cap C16, Law of Ekiti State 2012.
The charge was read and interpreted to the defendant in Yoruba language, but pleaded not guilty.
In his evidence before the court, the victim said, I am a caretaker at Onala Street in Ado Ekiti, the landlord called me to meet him at Oke-Ila police station, on getting there, it was electricity disconnection issue but later settled amicably by the police.
On getting home at Onala, the landlord was addressing other tenants on how to coexist peacefully, unknowingly, the defendant (Aluko Oluwademilade a.k.a Fijabi) emanated from nowhere, held my cloth and started punching me in the left eye, which led to bleeding profusely, I was asking what my offence was, but he care less to listen, during the process my necklace worth of N128, 000 got lost, including my phone worth of N240,000 all calculated at N368,000. I was later taken to hospital for medical attention, he concluded.
At the arraignment, the defendant was granted bail in the sum N10,000 and one surety in like sum, his counsel A.B. Aladesuyi perfected the bail and was released.
He gave his own evidence on 26/1/2023 and thereafter absconded from court including his surety.
To proof his case, the police prosecutor Inspector, Elijah Adejare called two witnesses and tendered statement of the victim, investigating Police Officer and the defendant, photograghs of the wounded eye of the victim, medical report among others as exhibits.
Delivering his judgment, Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola said, ‘’this court is fortified with authority in the case of Maina Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria (2022) LPELR-58942 (CA) to deliver this judgment in the absence of the defendant’’.
The issue for determination in this case is hereby resolved in favour of the prosecution as against the defendant.
I find the defendant guilty as charged and convict him accordingly.
The defendant is hereby sentence to 2 years imprisonment with hard labour or a fine of N20, 000 in lieu of imprisonment.
All security agencies are hereby put on red alert to apprehend the fugitive wherever and whenever sighted to serve his term of imprisonment or pay his fine, he concluded.