The Minna Chief Magistrate Court has sentenced a dismissed Inspector of the Niger State Police Command to two years imprisonment for theft and sale of Ak 47 magazine and ammunition to suspected armed bandits in the state.
Before his dismissal, the said officer, Inspector Yahaya Mohammed was the second in Command in-charge of armory with the Niger State Police Command headquarters.
He was said to have conspired with Ndaman Gana who is also an officer in-charge of state police command armory department to carry out the ugly deal.
He was arraigned on two count charges which bordered on criminal conspiracy and theft of AK-47 magazine and unlawful dealing in sale of AK-47 magazine and ammunition
The police Prosecutor DSP Ahmed Saidu had told the Court that the two count charges contravened sections 97,(2), 288 l of the penal code and section 27 (6) (111) act 28 law 2004.
The Police First Information Report (FIR), made available in court and obtained by our reporter revealed that a credible Information received from a reliable source to the Department of State Service (DSS) attached to Rafi Local Government Area, Kagara, Niger state stated that unknown person transported goods inside Ghana must go bag suspected to be arms to Kagara motor park and that
Police detectives swung into action and arrested you ex- Inspector Yahaya Mohammed a police officer formerly attached to department of operation second in-Command state Amory Minna.
"During police Investigation, you ex-police inspector conspired with Ndaman Gana officer in-charge of state armory attached to department of operation OPs Minna and both of you stole 22 magazines and 61 life ammunitions of different Calibre property of the Niger State Police Command
"Both of you sold each magazine at the rate of N1000 each ammunitions was sold at the rate of N650 to one ex- corporal Sani Mohammed formerly attached to Mopol 12 Minna," the First Information Report stated.
When the charge was read to him by the presiding Chief Magistrate Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan, he pleaded guilty to the charge.
The Prosecutor, DSP Ahmed Saidu then told the chief Magistrate to invoke the provision of Section 190 of the administration of Criminal Justice Law of Niger State by convicting him summarily.
The Prosecutor also told the Court that the convict was diagnosed with cough hemophysis and that the medical report is attached to the First Information Report.
"Your worship the disease in question is contagious in nature and I pray the court will take cognizant of the medical report to see how the convict would not join other inmates in order not to infect them with the disease as it is a communicable disease. That is my humble prayer," the Prosecutor told the court.
In her Judgement, the Chief Magistrate, Hajiya Fati Umar Hassan expressed disappointment with the conduct of the convict especially as a police officer saddled with the responsibilities of Protecting lives and Property of the citizens.
"It is quiet unfortunate that as a police officer saddled with the responsibilities of Protecting the lives and Property of the citizens, you now engage in selling ammunitions to armed bandits that are terrorising and killing innocent citizens across the country.
"I will be lenient with you while convicting you with an option of fine as a result of the contagious disease especially with the medical report attached to the first Information report.
"If not because of the disease, I would have convicted you without an option of fine but for other inmates not be infected with the disease, you are hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of N100,000 fine"
The Chief Magistrate however directed the convict to be transfered to the Chanchaga Leprosarium Colony to serve his jail term in case he cannot pay the fine.
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