An Abuja Magistrate Court on Tuesday sentenced a 31-year-old applicant to two months imprisonment for impersonating Reuben Abati, special adviser to President GoodLuck Jonathan on Media and Publicity.
An Abuja Magistrate Court on Tuesday sentenced a 31-year-old applicant to two months imprisonment for impersonating Reuben Abati, special adviser to President GoodLuck Jonathan on Media and Publicity.
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Magistrate Tony Chukwuemeka Ubani convicted Ekpendu Cyril of Oyigbo in Rivers State, for contravening Section 132 of the Penal Code.
Police prosecutor, Corporal Emmanuel Adikwu had earlier told the court that on April 16, one Ephraim Nzuwe of Consumer Protection Council (C.P.C), Wuse II, Abuja, reported at Maitama Police Station that the accused, sometime in March, 2012, impersonated Dr. Reuben Abati and called the C.P.C director-general on phone to assist one Ekpendu Cyril get a job in the council.
He said after several enquiries by the council, it was discovered that the accused was the same person who pretended to be Dr. Reuben Abati.
When the charge was read to the accused, he pleaded guilty and begged the court to have mercy on him as he engaged in such act because he couldn’t secure a job after his graduation.
He told the court that his intention was not to defraud the council but to get a job so that he can earn a living.
His plea drew sympathy in the court as some lawyers who introduced themselves as friends of the court, pleaded with the magistrate to temper justice with mercy. The lawyers decried the prevalent unemployment situation in the country and said it might have been the reason why the accused committed the offence.
Having listened to their mitigation plea, the magistrate sentenced the accused to two months imprisonment or to pay N1,000 as fine.
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