Labourer Jailed For Stealing Wheelbarrow

An Abuja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 22-year-old labourer, Moses James, of Tipper Garage, Lugbe, to one month imprisonment for stealing a wheelbarrow and building materials. The Magistrate, Mrs Chinyere Nwecheonwu, convicted James, after he pleaded guilty to stealing.
Nwecheonwu, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N1,000.
She said that the court gave the convict an option to pay fine because there was no evidence before the court that showed he had any previous criminal records.
The judge, however, warned him to be of good character and to stay away from crimes.
Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Elijah Jeremiah, had told the court that, one Ms Bilkisu Abdullahi, of New site, Lugbe, Abuja, reported the matter to the Lugbe Divisional police station on April 14.
Jeremiah said the accused person criminally trespassed into the complainant’s house and stole her wheelbarrow and building materials.
He said that the accused was apprehended by vigilant neighbours while trying to flee the crime scene with the stolen consignment.
He said the offence, contravened the provision of Section 79 and is punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code.
Section 287: “whoever commits theft, shall be punished with imprisonment term for which may extend to five years or with an option of fine or both”.(NAN)