A Bayelsa State High Court has convicted Mr. Prudent Oguruguru, the Senior Special Assistant on General Duties to Governor Duoye Diri, on charges of assault.
The judgement was delivered on Tuesday by Justice I. A. Orukari in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State.
Oguruguru was arrested on February 20, 2024, for allegedly assaulting Ubong Effiong Ubek in the Agudama-Epie area of Yenagoa Local Government. Reports revealed that the victim lost consciousness following the attack, which sparked widespread public outrage and led to legal proceedings.
The governor’s aide faced five charges, including conspiracy, attempted murder, assault occasioning harm, serious assault, and malicious damage.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges; but the prosecution, in the bid to prove the case, called six witnesses and tendered seven exhibits.
Delivering judgment in the case on Tuesday, Justice Orukari said the prosecution proved the case of assault against the governor’s aide beyond reasonable doubts.
The judge, however, dismissed the three counts of attempted murder, saying they were not proven.
Counsel for the defendant, Abadiofoni, in an allocutus on behalf of his client, pleaded that the court should temper justice with mercy as the defendant was a first-time offender.
However, the prosecution counsel, D.J. Olubowale, objected to the defendant’s counsel taking the allocutus and argued that it was a settled matter by the Supreme Court that the proper person to take the allocutus was the defendant himself.
Oguruguru, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he was the sole provider for his young family and aged mother.
Delivering his verdict, Justice Orukari sentenced him to three years imprisonment with the option of a N250,000 fine for count one and another three years imprisonment with the option of N250,000 fine for count three, to run concurrently.
In sentencing Oguruguru, the judge said that he was moved by the show of remorse by the defendant and the fact that he was a first-time offender.
