MICHAEL AKINOLA 

Two Beninese transborder motorcycle robbers, Sossou Marc, 34; and Wesu Abdulraman, 30, have been sentenced to five years imprisonment each for assaulting a female POS Operator in Badagry area of Lagos State. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Badagry found them guilty of assault on the victim, Ms Chinyere Onwuka and sentenced them accordingly.

The Presiding Chief Magistrate, N. A. Layeni, sentenced them after they pleaded guilty to assault, which attracts several years of imprisonment. However,  the Court gave the convicts an option of N500,000 each to regain their freedom from custody.

The Police also charged them for felony, theft and breach of peace. But they pleaded not guilty before the matter was further adjourned till 18th July, 2024 for mention.

Earlier, the Prosecution Officer, Inspector Edet Ekpeye, told the Court that the convicts committed the offence on 15th May, 2024 at about 12.10 pm at Pipeline Area, Imeke, Badagry.

Ekpe said that they stole a bag containing N276,500 belonging to Ms Chinyere Onwuka, the complainant.

“They pushed the complainant from a motorcycle after stealing her bag, which contained N276,500. She sustained injuries all over her body.

The convicts conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace.”

“The convicts are trans-border robbers from the Republic of Benin, they came to Imeke on motorcycle mainly to steal.

The complainant has a POS shop at Imeke,” he said.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 411, 287, 297 and 168 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants risk years of imprisonment if they are found guilty before the Court for the alleged offence.