The Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal has reduced the 26-year sentence passed by a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State against Yunusa Dahiru in May 2020.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Justice Jane Inyang had sentenced Mr Dahiru, aka Yellow, to 26-years imprisonment for child trafficking and sexual exploitation of a teenager Ese Oruru.
Dissatisfied by the decision of the court, Mr Dahiru appealed the case, seeking acquittal.
After hearing Mr Dahiru’s lawyers, Abdul Mohammed, SAN, Yusuf Dankofa, Huwaila Mohammed, Sunusi Musa and Kayode Olaosebikan, the appellate court allowed the appeal in part.
The panel, led by JS Iykegh, however, dismissed the appeal against the conviction of Mr Dahiru for the offences charged, but said the lower court erred by imposing a sentence of seven years, which is above the maximum provided for in the law.
While affirming the conviction of the appellant in the judgment of Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal however said Mr Dahiru would serve the sentence concurrently as against consecutive sentence passed by the trial court.
By this order, Mr Dahiru will serve seven years imprisonment from the date of first arraignment, October 25, 2018, and will regain freedom in May next year.
That’s Good development