BY Bolanle Olabimtan
A high court in Nasarawa state has convicted Fred Ayokhai, staff of the Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA), for assaulting Blessing Mathias, a female student.
In October 2022, a video surfaced on social media showing Ayokhai ripping off the singlet of Mathias with scissors.
Mathias was also flogged and dropped off naked in the bush.
The police subsequently arrested Ayokhai and Emmanuella, his daughter, who allegedly orchestrated the attack on Mathias for “snatching” her lover.
The lecturer was charged with criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, abduction and voluntarily causing grievous hurt without provocation and assault.
Emmanuella, Bob-Praise and Saint-Dan, all children of Ayokhai were joined in the case as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants.
Although the defendants had pleaded not guilty upon arraignment, AU Idris, their counsel, approached the court with an offer for a plea bargain.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Solomon Ayenajeh, the presiding judge, convicted the first defendant and sentenced him to six months in jail for criminal conspiracy and another six months for assault.
The charges are to run concurrently.
The judge also said the six months period in which Ayokhai has been in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) will be reckoned with.
Ruling on the offence of the children, the judge said they will spend six months on probation considering their ages.
The judge said they will be tasked with keeping the premises of the Nasarawa state high court clean during their sentence.
The judge also directed the third defendant, Bob-Praise, to shave his dreadlocks.
In his allocution, Ayokhai thanked the judge and parties in the matter for the consideration and the leniency accorded him.
He added that he has taken steps to compensate the victim as part of the plea bargain arrangement.
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