A village head, Gumni Ilihu of Gugu village, under Banjiram District, Guyuk Local Government Area of Adamawa State has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment by an Adamawa Magistrate Court.
The court handed over the sentence to the village head after he was found guilty of criminal breach of trust, intimidation and mischief.
It was gathered that the case was brought before the court by a primary school teacher, Roel Sunaka, 47, who told the court that the local chief of his community has refused to refund the debt owed him, following the sale of 13 sheep to Gumni.
The Plaintiff, who is also the zonal supervisor, Bobini Primary School, Guyuk Local Education Authority, told the court that Gumi threatened to chase him out of the community after using the proceeds of his livestock to secure chieftaincy stool of Gurgu Village, in Banjiram District, under Guyuk Council.
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In his judgement, Magistrate Hyellamada Hyellandendu found the defendant guilty of criminal breach of trust, section 302, intimidation and mischief under section 382 Adamawa State penal code law 2018.
He ruled that, “For criminal breach of trust, you Chief Gumni Ilihu, is to be sentenced to five years imprisonment with an option of N100,000 fine, one-year imprisonment for criminal intimidation with an option of N25,000 fine instead of prison term and two years jail term for mischief with an option of fine of N50, 000.”
The judge said the jail terms were to run concurrently, bringing the total number of years the defendant is to spend in jail to eight years upon failure to meet up the fine obligation to secure his freedom.
Speaking to journalist, over the case, Roel explained, “I approached the court because Gumni sold 13 of my goats in 2013 and used the proceeds to secure appointment as village head, a chieftaincy stool, known as the Sarki Gugu. All entreaties to get him to repay me the money fell on deaf ears. On several occasions, after he became the village head, he threatened to make me leave the village if I continue to disturb him about the repayment for my livestock which I gave to him.”