Umbrella theft lands four in prison
By Emma Elekwa
Four persons have been sentenced to prison by an Abuja grade 1 area court for stealing an umbrella and other items in a shop in Kubwa, Abuja.
The accused persons, all of Kubwa, were convicted for receiving stolen property and having possession of a thing reasonably suspected to have been stolen, offences that contradict sections 288, 317 and 319A of the Penal Code.
The prosecutor, Abba Zurumi, told the court that Christopher Onu of Kubwa village, reported at a Kubwa police station, of how one of the accused persons broke into his locker at Kubwa Market, where he repairs mobile phones, and stole different phones belonging to his customers.
He said the accused also stole speakers, socket wires, phone batteries, table, umbrella and other working tools valued at N85,000.
Zurumi said the accused sold the items to one Dauda Abubakar and Salisu Haruna, adding that investigation has revealed that one William Hope dishonestly received the said items but he was arrested in an attempt to sell same.
When the charges were read to the accused, they pleaded guilty and the 1st accused was sentenced to three months imprisonment by the judge, Mohammed Marafa, with an option to pay fine of N5,000.
The 2nd, 3rd and 4th accused persons were sentenced to five months imprisonment, each, with an option of paying N10,000 fine, each, while the 5th accused was discharged.