Court sentences 23-year-old welder for stealing garri

A Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court at Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, on Monday convicted a 23-year-old welder, Usman Abubakar, to 18 months imprisonment for stealing a bag of garri.

According to NAN, Abubakar, who resides at Shopping Centre Mararaba, was sentenced on one-count of theft.

The prosecutor, Agabi Auta, told the court that one Anjenu John of Aku village, Mararaba, reported the matter at the ‘A’ Divisional Police Headquarters Mararaba on Aug. 25.

Auta said, “The defendant went into the complainant’s shop located along Darika Jummat Mosque, Mararaba and stole a bag of garri valued at N15, 000.

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The prosecutor added that the defendant was in the process of taking away the bag of garri when he was nabbed by the complainant and handed him over to the police.

He said that during investigation, the defendant admitted stealing the item with the intention of selling it and get money to buy other food items.

Auta said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code.

The judge, Mr Albert Maga, sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the crime and pleaded for leniency.

The convict said that hunger led him to crime.

“It was hunger that led me to do it, I have stayed without food for days and I needed money to buy food. Have mercy on me and I promise never to do it again,’’ he pleaded.

The judge, however, gave the convict ₦5,000 option of fine.