Court jails customer for cheating

A Karmo Grade I Area Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced a 32-year-old man to four months imprisonment for cheating.

Chukwunoso Obi, who resides at Idu Karmo, Abuja, was sentenced on a count-charge of cheating.

The Judge, Alhaji Ahmed Ado, however, gave Obi an option of N5,000 fine and ordered the him to pay the sum of N12, 000 to the complainant as compensation.

The convict had guilty and begged earlier pleaded the court for leniency.

Delivering judgement, Alhaji Ado said the punishment would have been stiffer if the convict had not saved the court the rigours of protracted prosecution.

He also warned the convict to be of good behaviour.

The Prosecutor, Judith Obatomi, told the court that on July 20, Natasha Obi of Utako village, Abuja, reported at the Utako Police Station that the convict bought drinks and attempted to escape without paying.

Obatomi said the convict bought drinks for himself and his friends worth 12,000 from the complainant’s shopn and that after the convict and his friends drank, he refused to pay and attempted to escape.

The prosecutor further said the convict was caught in the process of escaping, adding that he made a confessional statement during police investigation.

Obatomi said the offence contravened Section 322 of the Penal Code. (NAN)