A High Court sitting in Obi, a local government in Nasarawa State has sentenced a senior lecturer of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) Fred Ekpe-Ayokhai, to six months imprisonment.
Mr Ayokhai has been in the custodial centre of the Nigeria Correctional Service in Lafia since October 2022.
The lecturer was convicted over conspiracy and assault on a 20-year-old orphan, Blessing Matthias after consenting to a plea bargain agreement.
He, alongside his three children were arrested and arraigned by the Nigeria Police in October 2022 after a video of the unfortunate incident went viral on social media.
The Children who were arraigned as accomplice are Emmanuella Ayokhai, Bob-Praise Ayokhai and Saint-Dan Ayokhai, as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, while 5th defendant, Vera Ogbonnaya is still at large.
Delivering his judgement on Thursday, the presiding judge, Justice Solomon Ayenajeh convicted the 1st defendant and sentenced him to six months imprisonment for criminal conspiracy and another six months for physical assault.
The sentence will run concurrently in consideration of his plea.
The court agreed that the six months period, which Mr. Ayokhai had been in the custodian centre will be reckon with.
The court also ordered a six months probation for the children considering their age.
They will be tasked with the responsibility of keeping the premises of the Nasarawa State High Court clean and will also be of good conducts.
