Varsity teacher gets six-month jail term over assault on female student 

A senior lecturer with the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, Dr. Fred Ekpe Ayokahi, who has been standing trial at the High Court in Obi Local Council of the state, has been convicted and sentenced to serve a jail term of six months.

Dr. Ayokahi was sentenced in a Case No. NSD/LF233c/2022 between him and the State Commissioner of Police over a criminal conspiracy, house breaking, abduction, voluntarily causing grievous hurt without provocation and assault against one Blessing Mathias, 20, who has been in detention since 22, 2022 at the Nigeria Correctional Services in Lafia. 
 
The suspect was first arraigned in court, alongside three others, before the State Chief Judge, Justice Aisha Bashir Aliyu. The case was later assigned to Justice Solomon W. Ayenajeh of the High Court, Obi.

Those arraigned with the varsity don were Emmanuella Ayokahi, Bob-Praise Ayokahi and Saint-Dan Ayokahi, as the second, third and fourth defendants, who are all his children, while one of the accomplices, Vera Ogbonnaya, was still at large.

After several processes filed, issues joined and witnesses taken on the case with exhibits, the counsel to the first to fourth defendants, A. U. Idris Esq had approached the court for a plea bargain, after his clients pleaded guilty to the crime charged.

It was gathered that both parties involved in the case of Dr. Ayokahi and Blessing Mathias had consented to the plea bargain agreement, where charges against the first and the fourth defendants are amended.

The convict and the second to fourth defendants were hitherto charged with two count charges of criminal conspiracy and physical assault with canes and sticks, contrary to sections 96 and 264 and punishable under section sections 97 and 265 of the Penal Code. 

Presiding over the matter, Justice S. W. Ayenajeh convicted the first defendant and sentenced him to jail for six months for criminal conspiracy and another six months for assault.

The judge, however, said that the sentence would run concurrently in consideration of his plea. Justice Ayenajeh said the six months period, which Dr. Ayokahi had been in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service would be reckoned with. He said consequent upon the plea bargain and taken into cognisance the ages of his children, the second to fourth defendants were, however, let-off under a six months probation order for six months.’

Justice Ayenajeh order that, within the six months period, they second to fourth defendants would keep the premises of the Nasarawa State High Court of Justice clean and would also be of good conducts, while the third defendant was admonished to shave his dreadlocks.  

The convict, Dr. Fred Ayokahi, thanked his Lordship and parties in the matter for the consideration and the leniency accorded him. He, however, drew the attention of the court to the fact that, as a father and teacher in the federal institution, he was not and has never been found wanting in the discharge of his duties, that he had taken further steps to compensate the victim, Blessing Mathias as part of his consent for the plea bargain.   

The prosecuting counsel and the State Attorney-General, Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana, said the step taken by the government was to give the defendant the second chance in life, particularly the children, who are still young.