Minna – A Minna Chief Magistrates’ court on Friday sentenced three people, including a Marabout to four years imprisonment for abduction and attempted sale of an 11-year-old boy to ritualists.

The convicts were also given 12 lashes of the cane each for their involvement in the act.

The Marabout Haruna Idris of Bari road in Lapai, Baba Shaba and Adamu Suleiman of Pati Suma also in Lapai appeared before the court for contravening section 211(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution.

Mr Ahmed Danladi,  Counsel to the government had told the court that the three persons had on Nov. 4, conspired and abducted an 11-year-old boy, Usman Abubakar from Lapai.

The court was also told that the suspects had brought Abubakar to Sogbafo Guest Inn in Chanchaga, Minna with the intention of selling him, an offence punishable under sections 273 and 79 of the penal code.

The three had pleaded guilty to the charges and begged the court for leniency.

Magistrate Hassan Mohammed convicted and sentenced  them to four years imprisonment and 12 lashes of the cane each,  without an option of  fine. (NAN)