The Court of Appeal in Lagos today, Friday, dismissed an appeal by Nollywood actress Ibinabo Fiberesima challenging a 5 year jail term slammed on her by a Lagos High Court.
Ibinabo was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of a Lagos High Court for reckless driving which led to the death of a hospital staff, one Dr. Giwa Suraj along the Lekki-Epe expressway.
In January, the Court of Appeal reserved ruling on the appeal filed by the actress because she was not in attendance.
Fiberesima was initially given a fine of N100,000 by Chief magistrate O.A Isaacs for her crime but the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olasupo Sasore (SAN), was unsatisfied with the judgement and appealed it at the Lagos High Court. The actress was then given a five-year sentence.
The judgment of the magistrate was,however, set aside by the high court which replaced the option of fine with a jail term.
Dissatisfied, Fiberesima had filed an appeal through her lawyer, Mr Nnaemeka Amaechina, urging the court to set aside the five-year sentence.
The Appeal court, however, dismissed her appeal today, the court held that the appellant must serve the 5 year term and also ordered the actress to return N100,000 earlier awarded to her by the Magistrate court.
Immediately, the judgment was delivered, Ibinabo who was visibly apprehensive throughout the proceeding burst into tears and wept furiously.
Speaking on the judgement, her lawyer, Nnaemeka Amaechina, said that the judgment would be challenged at the Supreme Court.
