Teenager gets 8 months jail for theft

A senior magistrate’s court in Karu, Abuja, has sentenced an 18-year-old teenager, Mustapha Muhammed, to eight months imprisonment for stealing N750,000 cash and other items.

The Senior Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, however, gave the convict an option of N5,000 fine.

Iyanna advised the convict to desist from committing crime, saying that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

The convict, a bricklayer, who resides behind Primus Hospital Karu site, Abuja, was convicted on a twocount charge of criminal trespass and theft.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that he had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to the Police Prosecutor, Helen Ashsimad, one Shehu Dalhatu, a staff of Directorate of Road Traffic Services, Mabushi, reported the matter on August 25 at the Karu Police Station.

Ashsimad said the convict had on the same date conspired with one Ibrahim Ali and trespassed into the complaint’s apartment to steal N750,000 cash, some shirts, trousers and other valuables all valued at N1,100,000.

“During police investigation, four of the stolen shirts were recovered from the convict. He also admitted to have stolen all the items from the complainant and that he used the stolen cash to purchase some shirts, pairs of trousers and shorts, pairs of shoes and a phone.

“Some of these items were recovered from him, but efforts to recover other stolen items proved abortive,” said the prosecutor.

The prosecutor said the offences were punishable under sections 79, 348, and 278 of the Penal Code. (NAN)