An Abuja Grade I Area Court in Dei-Dei, Abuja, on Monday sentenced a 22-year-old labourer, Ibrahim Abdullahi to 12 months imprisonment for injuring a five-year-old child.

Abdullahi, who lives in Mabushi, pleaded guilty to the charge and begged for leniency.

The Judge, Mr Sulyman Ola, however gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N30,000, and warned him to be a law abiding citizen.

Ola said that the punishment would have been stiffer, if the convict had not saved the court the rigours of protracted prosecution.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Olaonipekun Babajide, told the court that the complainant, Badamasi Adamu, who lives in Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja reported the matter at the Galadima Police station on February 11.

Babajide said that the convict smartly opened the complainant’s car door and grabbed his five-year-old son who was sleeping inside the car.

He said the convict dragged the complainant’s son with force and he sustained serious injuries in his face.

He told the court that the complainant child was rushed to Gwarinpa General Hospital for treatment.

He said that during police interrogation and investigation, the convict confessed to the crime.

The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened the provisions of Section 240 of the Penal Code.

-NAN