Leadership (Abuja)
Uzochukwu Obiekwe
7 July 2008
Abuja — A Federal Capital Territory magistrate's court sitting at Wuse Zone 6, Abuja has sentenced one bus conductor to three months' imprisonment for stealing his master's phone set and money. He was however, given an option of returning the phone set and money.
The accused, Ikechukwu Obike; 18, allegedly stole a Motorola phone set valued at N18, 000 and a cash sum of N2, 720 from his master.
The prosecutor, Adamu Abdullahi, had earlier told the court that on June 16, 2008, one Umheniyi Jude reported to the police that on the same day he picked the accused person from Dutse Alhaji as his bus conductor and that on getting to Wuse market, the police arrested their bus for a traffic offence.
"While he was trying to resolve the problem with the police, the accused person stole the said items from the bus and ran away until he was arrested" Prosecutor said.
He further stated that the accused confessed to have stolen the said items in the course of investigation and that he had spent the cash and sold the set.
When the charges were read out in court, the accused accepted liability of the offence and pleaded for leniency.
He said the money he stole was N1.300 and that he sold the Motorola cellphone to someone for N4,000, but when he took the police to the person's house to recover it, the person ran away.
The prosecutor urged the court to try the accused summarily, having pleaded guilty to the offence.
Magistrate Shade Oyekan consquently sentenced the accused to jail.
In another court, one Abdullahi Muazu was sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment without an option of fine for receiving stolen property.
Abdullahi Muazu was said to have dishonestly received stolen cables worth N30,000 from one Sani, now at large.
The prosecutor, Philip Akogwu, had earlier told the court that on June 25, 2008, the accused person received the said items belonging to DAAR communications, knowing fully well that the same items were stolen property.
" During investigation, it was discovered that the accused person bought the said items at the rate of N8,000 and that the said items were recovered from him", prosecutor said.
The accused person accepted liability of the offence after listening to the content of the first information report in court.
He said he was told that the items were stolen property when they called him to the bush to purchase the cable.
He told the court that he had no excuse for receiving the said items ,but prayed the court to be lienient with him, saying he has a wife and children to cater for.
The prosecutor asked the court to try him summarily having pleaded guilty to the charge, and appealed that the items to be released to the owner
The presiding Magistrate Aminu Abdullahi sentenced the accused person to jail and ordered that the items be released to the owner.
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