Court Orders 10 Strokes of Cane for Bus Conductor Who Slapped Passenger in Kaduna

A Kaduna Magistrates’ Court has ordered that a 20 year old bus conductor, Abubakar Shehu, receive 10 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to assaulting a female passenger during a dispute over transportation fare.

Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel held that the punishment was appropriate, noting that the convict deserved some leniency because he admitted to the offence and did not waste the court’s time.

The magistrate also ordered Shehu to sign an undertaking to be of good behaviour, warning that any future misconduct would attract stiffer sanctions.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Chidi Leo, told the court that the incident occurred on July 24 at Kawo in Kaduna. He said the defendant engaged in an argument with the complainant, Hadiza Rabiu, over transportation fare before allegedly slapping her twice in the face.

According to the prosecution, the offence contravenes the provisions of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.

The court subsequently convicted the bus conductor based on his guilty plea and ordered the corporal punishment alongside the good behaviour undertaking.