BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

BENIN— An Evbuoriaria magistrate’s court sitting in Benin City has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Jeremiah Onovwata, to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for floating an unregistered private clinic, Divine Maternity and Clinic, which metamorphosed into Divine Nursing Home and Maternity.

He was said to have impersonated the Chief Medical Director of the health institution located at Siluko Road, Benin.

Special Grade Magistrate, Patricia Igho Braimoh, while sentencing the accused without an option of fine, said the court was satisfied with the uncontradicted prosecution evidence which was corroborated by the evidence of the defence.

The court said the accused was therefore guilty as charged.

The accused, who was found guilty on all the five-count charge on which he was arraigned, will however serve only two of the10-year jail term, as the sentences will run concurrently.

The court, which relied on sections of the law, said the convict was earlier pardoned for the same offence in 2009, having deposed to an undertaking never to impersonate the medical director at the clinic and maternity home, but only to be apprehended for the same offence.

Defence counsel, Mr. Evidence Ejemu Etimbowei, however pleaded for allocutus for his client to enable the accused, who claimed to have attended Edo State School of Health Technology, Benin meet his family needs.