Court Jails Governor’s Aide Over Assault
Oguruguru was apprehended for allegedly assaulting Ubong Effiong Ubek, resulting in the victim losing consciousness on February 20, 2024, at Agudama-Epie.
ABayelsa High Court has convicted Mr Prudent Oguruguru, a Senior Special Assistant on General Duties to the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on two counts bordering on conspiracy to commit assault and assault occasioning harm.
Oguruguru was apprehended for allegedly assaulting Ubong Effiong Ubek, resulting in the victim losing consciousness on February 20, 2024, at Agudama-Epie.
He was subsequently arraigned on five counts bordering on conspiracy, attempted murder, assault occasioning harm, serious assault, and malicious damage before Justice I. A Orukari.
During the trial, the accused person pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The prosecution called six witnesses and tendered seven exhibits to prove its case.
Justice Orukari in his ruling noted that the sole issue of determination was “whether by the totality of evidence adduced the prosecution proved the elements of the offences charged beyond reasonable doubt to warrant the conviction of the defendant”.
The trial judge in his judgment while declaring that he was of the considered opinion that the prosecution failed to discharge its evidential burden on proving offences in Counts 2, 4, and 5 bordering on attempted murder, beyond reasonable doubt, added that in respect to offences in Counts 1 and 3, the evidence led by the prosecution is satisfactory and proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the offences of conspiracy to commit assault and assault occasioning assault.
Justice Orukari, therefore, discharged and acquitted Oguruguru of Counts 2, 3, and 5. However, the court found him guilty of Counts 1 and 3.
The defendant’s counsel, Abadiofoni in an allocutus on behalf of his client pleaded that the Court temper justice with mercy as the defendant is a first-time offender.
However, the prosecution counsel, D.J. Olubowale objected to the defendant’s counsel taking the allocutus, arguing that it was a settled matter by the Supreme Court that the proper person to take the allocutus is the defendant himself.
Oguruguru in his allocutus pleaded with the Court to temper justice with mercy because he is the sole provider for his young family and aged mother.
In his ruling, Justice Orukari, taking into consideration the defendant’s display of remorse and his status as a first-time offender, sentenced him to three years imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of N250,000 for Count 1, and similarly, three years imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of N250,000 for Count 3.
He ruled that both sentences would run concurrently.
