The police on Tuesday arraigned Sabiu Hassan in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court for stealing a bag of rice and two cartons of peak milk.
Prosecutor Otu Urom told the court that the accused was reported at the Wuse Police Station by Muhammed Sani-Baba of No.15 Misturata Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, on Aug. 8.
Urom said that Hassan and another now at large committed the offence on the same date. He said the defendants entered into the complainant’s compound, accessed his store and stole the food items. The prosecutor also said that only Hassan was caught as the defendants attempted to cart away their loot, while his partner escaped.
Urom said the offence of Joint act, Criminal trespass and theft contravened sections 79, 287 and 348 of the Penal Code. He said the defendant confessed committing the offence but claimed that his friend, one Mustapha, coerced him.
“I told Mustapha that I had not prepared anything ready and my wife was about to put to bed; he encouraged me to follow him to his Uncle’s house. “I had no intention to steal; I was misled; I hawk pure water.
“It was when we got to the house and Mustapha jump through the fence into the compound that I realised his plan,’’ Hassan said.
Despite the plea entered by the defendant, Senior Magistrate Musa Jobbo, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum. Jobbo said that the surety must have a fixed address, and adjourned the matter till Aug. 25 for hearing.