A Senior Magistrates’ Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State on Friday ordered an 18-year-old girl, Queen Bua, to present her parents before sentence for alleged duping of people in “a one-chance vehicle”.
The Senior Magistrate, Agwadu Jatau, gave the order following inconsistencies in the testimonies of the defendant who pleaded guilty to a charge.
Jatau said the defendant “had not been consistent in her testimonies to this court from her parents are in a village in Benue State to how they do not have means of contact.
“She told the court she has been in Mararaba since 2013 and has no house and that she lives with a friend in Mararaba and till now, she had refused to disclose her friend to the court.
“She also testified that she passes the night with whoever she hooks up with during the day as such has no base.
“With such a character and a person in the society, she can easily be influenced into terrorism or other crimes.
“And this is what I wish to avert by insisting on seeing her parents before sentencing her,” Jatau said.
Jatau added that failure for the defendant to bring her parents to the court on the next adjournment date would leave him with no option than to give her the maximum sentence required.
Bua was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, impersonation, causing grievous hurt and theft alongside with two others, Lukman Abdullahi and Mohammed Abubakar.
She pleaded guilty while Abdullahi and Abubakar pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case was first mentioned in December, 2016 and had series of adjournments for the defendant to present her parents, any close relative or contact but to no avail.
Bua is said to have been in the illegal business since 2013, until Dec. 5 when she was caught with Golf car, AL 647 DKA, on motion trying to dupe a student on Nyanya-Keffi Road.
The case was adjourned till Feb. 8. (NAN)