Man gets 2 years jail, 12 strokes of cane for theft

A Magistrates’ Court sitting at ‘Yan-Azara, Tudun-Wada, Zaria, has convicted one Lukman Ibrahim, 27, of Turunku Road, Tudun-Wada, Zaria, to two years in prison with 12 strokes of the cane for theft.

In a summary trial, the presiding magistrate, Mohammed Abdurrahman, sentenced Ibrahim after he pleaded guilty to the offence against him.

Abdurrahman said the convict has an option of N15,000 fine but must take 12 strokes of the cane without an option.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Ibrahim Mohammed, had told the court that Ibrahim trespassed into a lady’s room and stole her valuables.

He said the matter was reported by one Rebeca Amadu of Rimin Tsiwa Estate, Tudun-Wada, Zaria, at the Tudun-Wada police station.

Mohammed said the convict trespassed into Amadu’s room and took away some of her belongings that included a laptop valued at N70,000, a purse containing N2,500 and a Techno mobile phone valued at N19,000.

The prosecutor said all the stolen items were recovered from Ibrahim, except the money, which he said he had spent it, contrary to sections 342 and 386 of the Penal Code.

Ibrahim had pleaded guilty but appealed for leniency and promised not to repeat the offence but the prosecutor said he was a habitual criminal as it was the third time he was arraigned for theft. (NAN)