Teenage apprentice bags 2 years for stealing employer’s N471, 000
Apprentice
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, March 19, 2018 (NAN) A 19-year-old apprentice, Obinna Nwali, was on Monday sent to jail for the next 24 months for stealing his employer’s N471,000, according to a ruling by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
Magistrate Sule Amzat, who gave the verdict, said the accused guilty as charged.
Obinna, who had pleaded guilty to the charge, however, begged for leniency, attributing his action to his inability to source funds for his mother’s medical bills.
He was arraigned on a charge of stealing.
Amzat declared: “Based on the facts of this case as confirmed in the report and the plea of leniency, I hereby sentence you to two years imprisonment without an option of fine.”
Earlier, Police Prosecutor Benson Emuerhi, told the court that Obinna committed the offence on Jan. 30 at 4.00 a.m. at Agege area of Lagos.
He said the accused stole N471,000 kept in his employer’s shop.
“The accused, an apprentice serving the complainant, Mr Emmanuel Onyebuchi, stole the money kept in a safe in the shop.
“When confronted by the complainant, he admitted to have stolen the money.
“The accused, who lives with his employer, in the early hours of that day, took the key to the shop without his employer’s consent, opened the shop and made away with the money,” he said.
“He was later apprehended and taken to Agege Police Station, where he gave a voluntary statement, admitting the crime.”
The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section stipulates seven years imprisonment for stealing from one’s employer. (NAN)
LAW/DA
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Edited by Dele Akinsola