An Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Monday sentenced a businessman, Isreal Dauda to four months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to stealing two cell phones.
The police charged Dauda, who did not give his age, and Joseph Iortyom, 25, both of Aco Estate, Abuja with criminal conspiracy and theft.
The Judge Sani Umar sentenced Dauda to pay a fine of N10,000 for each offence or a jail term of two months for each offence after he showed remorse and pleaded for leniency.
Umar said that the sentence would run consecutively, adding that the punishment would serve as a deterrent to others with the intention of committing the same offence.
He, however, admitted Iortyom who pleaded not guilty to bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
He said that the address of the surety must be verified by the court staff, must provide valid means of identification and two recent passport photographs.
Umar adjourned the case until May 23 for hearing.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Abdullahi Tanko had told the court that the complainant, Haruna Ibrahim of Aco Estate, Abuja reported the matter at the Gwagwalada Police Station on March 24.
Tanko said the defendant and convict both conspired, stole the complainant’s Infinix cell phone valued at N172,000 and a pop Tecno cell phone valued at N25,000.
He said that during investigation, Dauda confessed that he stole the phones and gave them to Iortyom.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code.
