Abuja court sentences man to 12 months in jail for stealing mobile phone worth just N38,000

JUSTICE Abubakar Sadiq of the Karmo Grade One Area Court in the Federal Capital Territory has sentenced 25-year-old Paul Obijaku to 12 months imprisonment for stealing a cell phone valued at N38,000 ($105).

In his ruling, the judge, however, gave the convict an option of paying aN20,000 fine and advised him to desist from committing crime in the future. Mr Obijaku, who resides at Utako Abuja, was convicted on a count charge of theft, with Justice Sadiq saying that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.

Expressing remorse for his actions, the convict, who pleaded guilty to the offence, told the court that hunger pushed him to commit the crime. Prosecutor, Florence Avhioboh, had told the court that one Rose Ojim of Utako, reported the matter at the Utako Police Station, Abuja, on October 17.

Ms Avhioboh said that the convict visited the shop under the pretext of buying a cell phone, but stole one of her phones. She added that during police investigation, the convict confessed to the crime and the cell phone was recovered.