An Edo State High Court sitting in Auchi, on Friday sentenced a 20-year-old boy, Sufiyan Ahmed, to 21-years in the correctional centre for the murder of a four-year-old girl.
Justice Philip Imoedemhe sentenced Ahmed on a two-count charge of unlawful defilement and murder of Umuaiman Suleman.
Justice Imoedemhe, in arriving at the sentence, noted that all the evidence tendered in court had convinced the court beyond a reasonable doubt that the convict was guilty of the charges preferred against him.
The Judge, who noted that the maximum punishment for the offence is life imprisonment, said that he used his discretion in reducing the jail term.
“The evidence before me shows the defendant is guilty as charged and is convicted to 21-years-old in prison,” Justice Imoedemhe ruled.
Imoedemhe also ordered that the convict be taken to the Auchi correctional centre to serve his jail term.
Counsel to the defendant, Barrister Anthony Omozenumu had pleaded before the court to tamper with justice and mercy not to convict the defendant to life imprisonment.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Lauretta Asaka told the court that the convict committed the offence on April 21th 2019 at Egbetua Quarters in Ososo community in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo.
Mrs Asaka, a state prosecutor council from the Edo ministry of justice said the convict sexually assaulted and murdered the victim for money rituals.
According to her, the offence is punishable Under Section 401 of the Administration of Criminal Justice, Laws of Edo State 2016.