Court jails man 4 months for corn theft

A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, has sentenced a 30-year-old man, Abdullahi Musa, to four months imprisonment for stealing some quantities of corn.

The judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave the convict an option of N10,000 fine.

Sadiq, who advised the convict to desist from committing crime and work hard, said the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

Musa of no fixed address was convicted on two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft.

The convict, who pleaded guilty to the two charges, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, adding that hunger made him to steal.

The prosecutor, Florence Avhioboh, had told the court that one Umar Abubakar of Kado Estate Abuja reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station on Sept. 29.

Avhioboh said the convict, on that same date, went into the farm located behind NAF Conference Centre, Abuja to pluck corn.

When the owner of the farm, Umar Abubakar, confronted Musa, he started to struggle before passers-by helped Umar to arrest him, she said.

The prosecutor further told the court during police investigation, Musa confessed to the crime and begged the court for mercy while the corn was recovered.

The prosecutor said the offence was punishable under sections 384 and 288 of the Penal Code. (NAN)