3 Sentenced For Illegal Possession Of Firearms In Edo

An Egor magistrate court in Benin, on Wednesday sentenced three persons to 12 months imprisonment each, over illegal fire arm possession.The accused, Igho Braimah, Ayo Olatunji, Isaiah Idanedanegbe and Ugbo Ogie, were sentenced to 12 months imprisonment each, on three count charge of unlawful possession of fire arm.The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Igho Braimah, who delivered the judgment, however gave the three accused an option of fine of N50,000 each, for the three charges.Braimah who found the accused quilty of all the charges, also noted that while the prison term would run concurrent, the fine option of N50, 000 would be cumulative.Before the judgment was handed down, counsel to Isaiah Idanedaegbe, Mr I B. Omoifo, had asked the magistrate to be lenient with his client who was a first offender.Omoifo also noted that been a young man with potential, and having been of good behaviour all through the trials, the magistrate should just caution and discharge his client.He is a potential young man who has been of good behaviour through this trial. I urge the court to consider this. It is only human to err.I am also urging this court to consider the fact that this young man has no previous criminal record. I plead passionately for the second accuse to be cautioned and discharge, he appealed.The judgment bring to an end, the case of the three accused who were first arraigned before the Egor magistrate court on March 31, 2014.According to the charge, the offence was committed on October 12, 2012, around Edaiken Primary School road, Uselu, Benin City.The three charges are, possession of cut to size barrel gun, an offence contrary to section 26 and punishable under section 27 (1) of the fire arm Act F28 of the Nigeria Federation law.The other charge is possession of four locally made pistols, an offence contrary to section 3 and punishable under section 27 (1) (a) (i) of the fire arm Act of the Nigeria Federation law.While the last charge is possession of 26 cartridges, an offence contrary to section 8 and punishable under section 27 (1) (b) (ii) of the fire arm Act of the Nigeria Federation law.The three accused had had pleaded not quilty to the charges when they were first arraigned.Meanwhile, magistrate Braimah, while delivering the judgment, ruled that the arm and ammunitions be forfeited to first, Edo Government before been handed over the the Police.
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