A High Court in Taraba State, presided over by the Chief Judge, Justice Joel Agya, has sentenced one Festus Edward to two years and six months in prison for his role in the theft and destruction of government property at the Danbaba Suntai Airport in Jalingo.
Edward, a resident of Jauroyinu in Ardo Kola Local Government Area, was convicted with an option of a ₦250,000 fine.
The judgment, delivered on Tuesday in criminal case No. TRSJ/2C/2022, found Edward guilty of criminal conspiracy and theft. Justice Agya recounted how Edward, alongside three others, Ibrahim Malam-Gaji, Abdurahaman Ahmed, and Yahaya Adamu, faced charges related to the vandalization of airport infrastructure and the attempted transportation of 15 stolen iron poles in a Mitsubishi van.
According to the prosecution, the suspects were apprehended on October 30, 2021. They were said to have also destroyed 20 pieces of airfield lighting cables, spanning 4,000 meters and worth N61 million, all of which belonged to the Taraba State Government.
Justice Agya stated that Edward’s confession during police interrogation was both “voluntary and detailed,” and revealed how he orchestrated and carried out the act with two other accomplices, Luka Peter and Monday Frances, who remain at large.
The judge emphasized that the conviction was hinged on Edward’s own confession, corroborating evidence, and the testimony of eyewitnesses.
However, in a twist during the proceedings, Justice Agya discharged and acquitted the second, third, and fourth accused, Malam-Gaji, Ahmed, and Adamu, citing insufficient evidence linking them to the crime. “Victims of circumstance,” he called them, as the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Edward was sentenced to six months for criminal conspiracy and two years for theft, with both sentences to run consecutively.
While Edward’s lawyer sought the court’s mercy, counsel to the acquitted defendants, Bilyaminu Bakoji, lauded the Chief Judge’s diligence and fairness in handling the matter.
He also joined in the appeal for leniency, noting that Edward is a first-time offender and the primary provider for his household.
