A Lugbe Grade 1 Area
Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced one George Bitrus to one month imprisonment
for stealing 18 pieces of zinc.
Bitrus, 32, a
security guard of Jeddo Estate, was convicted after he pleaded guilty to a
one-count charge of theft and begged for leniency.
“I am sorry, very
sorry for stealing the zinc; I am pleading with the court not to convict me.
“I stole the zinc
because I don’t have money to take care of myself and my family in the village;
I am working but my boss has not paid me since September last year.
“My boss said I
should wait until he sold his house,’’ the convict told the court.
The presiding
officer, Garba Ogbede, who sentenced Bitrus after he begged for leniency, gave
him an option to pay N5,000 as fine.
Garba also ordered
the police to release the recovered zincs to the complainant.
Earlier, the prosecuting
counsel, Miss Oporomo Vivian, had told the court that Anthony Mmofunanya of
Jeddo estate lodged the complaint at Iddo Police Station, Abuja, on July 8.
Vivian said that the
convict who was attached to a site along Jeddo Estate to protect properties
dishonestly stole 18 pieces of zincs.
She added that
during police investigation, the convict admitted committing the offence and
that 12 pieces of zinc was recovered from him.
The prosecutor
prayed the court to try him summarily under Section 347 of the Administration
of Criminal Justices Act, 2015.
Vivian said the
offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.
Meanwhile, the
convict could not pay the N5,000 fine and was taken to Kuje Prison.
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