Bayelsa court convicts Diri’s aide of assault

A Bayelsa State High Court has convicted Governor Duoye Diri’s Senior Special Assistant on General Duties, Mr Prudent Oguruguru, of charges of assault.

Oguruguru was arrested on February 20, 2024 for allegedly assaulting one Ubong Effiong Ubek at Agudama-Epie in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The victim was said to have become unconscious after being allegedly assaulted by the governor’s aide.

Oguruguru was subsequently charged before  Justice I. A. Orukari and arraigned on five counts bordering on “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.