Court Jails Gateman 20 Years For Terrorism, Threat To Life

Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a gateman, James Paul Tuksa, to 20 years imprisonment for terrorism, threat to life and fraud.

Justice Faji, who had earlier on March 13, 2020 convicted Tuksa for the offence but fixed Friday for sentencing, jailed the convict on three counts of the charge brought against him by the federal government.

The judge sentenced him 10 years for terrorism, five years for threat to life and another five years for fraud.

The court, however, held that the jail terms will run concurrently, meaning the convict will spend10 years in prison.

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The judge also directed that the sentence takes effect from October 10, 2016, when the defendant was arraigned.

Justice Faji convicted Tuksa of obtaining N5 million ransom from a complainant after threatening to kill him and his family.

The Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) arraigned Tuksa on May 25, 2017, on a two-count charge but it was later amended to three counts.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, O.C. Anigbogu had told the court that the convict committed the offence while he was a gateman at 4a, Ibironke Crescent, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi.

The court heard that Tuksa, sometime in October 2016, phoned one Victor Omotayo Awosika, of 2, Ibironke Crescent, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, and threatened to exterminate him and his family, unless he was paid N5 million.

Awosika paid up.

Anigbogu said the offences contravened Sections 24 (2) (a) and (2) (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and Section 390(9) of Criminal Code, 2004.

During his trial, the prosecutor called two witnesses and tendered four exhibits including the defendant’s statement.

Tuksa’s extra-judicial statement and a closed circuit television (CCTV) footage were also.

Tuksa testified in his defence.