An Upper Area Court in Kuje, FCT, yesterday sentenced a 26-year old trader, Ogwuwa Nonso, to 12 months in prison for stealing gold trinkets valued at N150,000.
Nonso, who resided at Bamishi village in Kuje, was tried for criminal trespass and theft.
The presiding judge, Mr. Adamu Wakili, sentenced Nonso after he pleaded guilty to stealing the trinkets belonging to a trader.
Wakili, however, gave him an option of N10,000 fine.
“If you are not able to pay the fine, you will remain in Kuje Prison for 12 months.
“Any person who is not satisfied with the decision of the court has the right to appeal at the High Court of the FCT within 30 days,’’ he said.
Earlier, the prosecutor Cpl. Ocheche Samuel, had told the court that the complainant, one Miss Aisha Ussaini of Living Studio Area Kuje, lodged the report at Kuje Police Station on March 7.
Samuel said at about noon on the day, while Ussaini was at work, the convict scaled the fence of the complainant’s house, entered her room and stole the trinkets.
The prosecutor said that the accused was arrested while trying to sell the stolen items to a trader in Kuje market.
He said that the offence was contrary to the Penal code.
When the charges were read to the convict, he pleaded guilty, saying “I needed money to take care of my family’’.
I promise not repeat such act again.” (NAN)
