A Lugbe Grade I Area Court in Abuja, on Monday, sentenced a 30-year-old labourer, Samson Ibrahim to 17 months imprisonment for stealing meat and tomatoes.

Ibrahim of Perfect Combination Garden, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of joint act and theft.

The convict had begged the court for leniency.

The judge, Aliyu Kagarko gave the convict an option of N50,000 fine.

The judge warned the convict to be a good citizen. He was told to desist from committing crimes after serving his jail term.

He said the punishment would have been stiffer if the convict had not saved the court the rigour of protracted prosecution.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Olisaemeka Okeke, told the court that the complainant, Amilsa Rabiat of the same address reported the matter at the Life Police Station on January 9.

Okeke said that on January 8 at about 11:30  p.m., the convict and one Silas Garba, now at large, were caught by a vigilante group in Life Camp.

He said the convict went to Perfect Combination Garden and stole a bag full of meat and tomatoes worth N200,000. He also took a gas cylinder belonging to the complainant’s neighbor.

The prosecutor said that during the police investigation, the convict confessed to the crime.

Okeke said police investigation revealed that on November 15, 2023, the convict and Garba trespassed into the complainant’s garden and dishonestly made away with 40-inch television, valued N80,000 and one speaker valued N130,000.

He told the court that the convict also confessed to have stolen 21 creates of beer, and bottled water valued at N230,000 from the complainant’s shop.

The prosecutor added that the offence contravened Sections 97 and  287 of the Penal Code. (NAN)

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