The Caernarfon Crown Court, United Kingdom, has sentenced a Nigerian student, identified as John Nwadiaju, to 11 months imprisonment for violently attacking and abusing his wife, Kosisochukwu Echem.
The 34-year-old student of Bangor University, North Wales, UK, who was sentenced on Friday, was also suspended for one year and ordered to work for free at the Caernarfon Crown Court for 250 hours.
According to the prosecutor, Paulinus Barnes, Nwadiaju and Echem married in Nigeria in April 2022 but separated in August 2022 over reported abuse and violence.
Hoping for reconciliation, the wife was said to have visited him in Bangor, where he studied for his Master’s. Still, Nwadiaju was said to have taken her passport and Personal Independence Payment card and assaulted her repeatedly.
Traces of blood were found on his person and property when the police stormed his house to effect his arrest.
Nwadiaju was found guilty, despite stating that his actions were in self-defence.
READ ALSO: Ex-Convict, 62 suspected Internet Fraudsters arrested in Ilorin
Presiding Judge Nicola Saffman sentenced Nwadiaju to 11 months imprisonment and suspended him for one year, adding that Nwadiaju must also carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on two communities that clashed on Thursday.
The communities are Ovonum and Ofatura in Obubra Local Government Area of the state and the curfew takes immediate effect.
A statement by Governor Ayade’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, announced the curfew.
According to the statement, “following the ongoing communal clashes between Ovonum and Ofatura communities in Obubra Local Government Area, the state Governor, His Excellency, Prof Ben Ayade has imposed a 6pm-6am curfew on both communities with immediate effect.”
The Governor also directed security agencies in the state to ensure strict enforcement of the curfew.
“The Governor decries the destruction of lives and property in the renewed clashes and vows that government will bring to book all those behind the clashes,” the statement added.
The cause of the clashes could not be immediately ascertained. However, many communities in the state usually fight over farmlands.