NAN-H-56
Sentence
By Sylvester Thompson
Abuja, July 17, 2017 (NAN) A Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, on Monday sentenced four men to six months imprisonment for stealing electronics, mobile phones and N30,000 cash.
The four men, Murtala Mohammed, Alhassan Suleiman, Shehu Umar and Ibrahim Abubakar, were convicted of criminal conspiracy, theft and being in possession of properties suspected to be stolen.
The judge, Mr Umar Kagarko, passed the sentence after the four men, whose ages range between 25 and 29, admitted stealing a Plasma TV, Samsung TV, HP laptop, LG phone, and N30, 000.
However, Kagarko gave each of the convicts option to pay N12, 000 fine.
He said it was not the wish of the court to give them the option of fine, but he considered the plea of their counsel, Mr Wahuma Chiroma, who said they were first time offenders.
The convicts, who first appeared in court on July 14, were initially arraigned with two others.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two others, Kabiru Mohammed, 33, and Austin Nwankwo, 39, had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
The judge thereafter ordered that all six men be remanded in prison custody until July 17 for ruling on their application for bail and judgment.
At the hearing on Monday, counsel to the remaining two defendants, Mr Innocent Nwokolo, made oral application for their bail, citing relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Consequently, the judge admitted the two defendants to bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with a reliable and reasonable surety in like sum and adjourned hearing in the matter until Aug. 22.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Umoh Inah, told the court that on April 3, three complainants, Mr Stephen Yeje, Tile Terso and Enegbuna Enegbuna, all of Dei-Dei area of Abuja, reported the matter at different intervals at FCT Police Command.
He said that on the fateful day, while the complainants were asleep at night, a group of men broke into their houses and stole their household properties.
He listed the properties to include two 40“ plasma LG and Samsung TV, HP laptop, LG and infinix phones and N30, 000.
Inah said that during police investigations, the LG phone was traced to the first convict, Murtala Mohammed and this led to the arrest of others. (NAN)
SET/AOS/AEA
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Archibong Asuquo