A Wuse Zone Six Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday sentenced a 44-year-old businessman, Mahmud Suleiman, to six months’ imprisonment for threatening his business partner’s life.
The Magistrate, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, however, gave Suleiman an option of N30, 000 fine.
Ibrahim handed down the sentence after Sulieman pleaded guilty to the crime and prayed for leniency.
“I plead the court to temper justice with mercy.
” I regret my action because what happened was a misunderstanding between I and the complainant,” he had told the court.
In his judgment, the magistrate noted that the convict was a first-time offender and did not waste the time of the court by admitting guilt.
Ibrahim hoped that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.
Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Peter Ejike, told the court that a petition was received at the Office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7, Abuja, on March 1, through the complainant, Mr Mohammed Yunusa.
Ejike told the court that the defendant and the complainant who, were business partners, had a disagreement while carrying out a project.
The prosecutor said that the complainant lost confidence in the defendant and decided to disengage him from the project.
He said the defendant couldn’t control his anger and began to threaten the complainant’s life and that of his family members.
Ejike said that, during a police investigation, the defendant admitted committing the crime, contrary to Section 397 of the Penal Code. (NAN)