ZUBA – Two teenager carpentry apprentices, Ibrahim Suleman, 16, and Mubarak Aliyu, 14 of Kaduna Road, Niger, on Wednesday bagged 18 strokes of the cane for stealing electrical wire.
An Upper Area Court Judge in Zuba, Malam Aminu Sa’ad, sentenced the accused persons after they pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of joint act, house breaking and theft.
“It is very unfortunate that at such a tender age you are already into the act of crime when you are supposed to be concentrating on your studies and thinking of making good grades.
“You are both lucky that you are still minors; I will have had you jailed. Nevertheless, you shall not go scot free.
“You shall be flogged 18 strokes of the cane each to help you have a rethink of a better way to live your life,’’ Sa’ad said.
Prosecutor Momoh Ibrahim had told the court that on June 10, Stephen Theophilus of Church Road reported the matter at the Zuba Police Station.
Ibrahim said Theophilus told the police that on the same date, the convicts broke into an uncompleted building and stole electrical wire, the value of which was yet unknown.
The prosecutor said that during investigation the stolen wire was recovered from the accused persons.
He said the offence contravened Sections 97, 288 and 353 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
