A Magistrates’ Court in Minna on Thursday sentenced a man, Musa Umar, to nine months in prison for stealing N240,850.
The Presiding Judge, Binta Rijau, however, gave the convict a fine option of N9,000 and also ordered him to pay a compensation of N240,000 to the complainant.
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Umar had been standing trial on a charge of theft, contrary to Sections 287 of the Penal Code Law.
When the matter came up on Thursday for further mention, Umar told the court that he wanted to change his plea after he initially denied the charges when the case was first mentioned on Aug. 9.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Thomas Peter, thereafter prayed the court to try him summarily and in line with Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Peter had told the court at the last sitting that Oluchi Ogada reported the matter at the Tudun Wada Station on July 4.
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He said the complainant alleged that she went to Beji Market in Bosso Local Government Area to supply bread and left her phone and handbag containing N240,850 inside her car.
He told the court that the accused person was said to have made away with the phone and the bag and sold the former to one Kabiru Abubakar, who had since been charged and convicted.
