Court Jails 2 Labourers For Stealing Sewage Covers

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Abuja, on Thursday, sentenced two labourers, Bashir Mohammed, 24, and Isah Abdulkadiri, 20, to three months jail term each for stealing three sewage covers.

Mohammed and Abdulkadiri of no fixed address were arraigned for theft.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Ramatu Gulma, sentenced them after they pleaded guilty to the charge.

Gulma, however, gave them an option to pay a fine of N2,000 each.

She said “after listening to the mitigation plea of the defence counsel and the remorse shown by the convicts, I will give you an option to pay a fine in lieu of imprisonment.

“However, the sentence is to punish you and to deter other intending criminals.’’

Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl Monday Akor, had told the court that the convicts conspired and stole the aluminium sewage cover around the Bannex Junction, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, on March 3, at midnight.

He said the sewage covers were the property of the Federal Government.

Akor added that the convicts were apprehended and handed over to the police while they were trying to sell the items.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The convicts begged for mercy and promised not to commit such a crime again.

Their counsel, Mr Moneke Azubike, in his mitigating plea, begged the court to tamper justice with mercy and give them an option of fine.

He said they were first time offenders  and had shown remorse for their actions. (NAN)

Source: LeadershipNGA