A Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced a 30-year-old
bricklayer Jeopardy John, to three months imprisonment for stealing two
packets of Maggi cubes.
John, had pleaded guilty to a three-count of criminal trespass, housebreaking and theft.
“I am sorry for the act I committed and I am pleading with the court not to send me to jail.
“It
was hunger that made me to steal. For some time now I don’t have job,
please sir forgive me, and I promise not to steal again,’’ the convict
pleaded.
The judge, Mr Garba Ogbede, however, sentenced John to three months in prison but with an option of payment of N15,000 fine.
Ogbede also ordered that the recovered items be returned to the owner.
According
to the judge, the punishment would have been more severe if he had not
pleaded guilty, and saved the court the pains of a prolonged
prosecution.
Earlier, the prosecuting counsel, Miss Vivian
Oporomo, had told the court that on July 12, Eneojo John of the same
address, reported the matter at the Iddo Police Station.
Oporomo
told the court that the convict broke into the complainant’s shop at
about 1.30am and stole two packets of Maggi cubes, valued N700 and one
DVD player valued N10, 000.
She said that when the complainant caught the convict inside his shop with the said items, he raised an alarm.
Oporomo said that during police investigation and interrogation, the convict admitted to committing the offence.
The prosecutor said the offences contravene sections 342, 347 and 288 of the Penal Code.
The convict was however unable to pay the N15,000 fine and was taken to Kuje Prison.
NAN