ABUJA – An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court in Karu on Thursday sentenced a hawker, Friday Nwogu, 22, to seven months imprisonment for breaking into a banking hall to steal money.The convict pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of house breaking and theft.
Senior Magistrate Sharon Ishaya sentenced Nwogu without an option of fine.
Ishaya in her judgment said; “I have listened to the accused and he seems remorseful but he has to be punished to serve as deterrent to other potential offenders.
“The accused person told this court that he had nothing after losing his father four years ago and that he lived with his mother here in Abuja, who could hardly cater for their daily needs.
“Such reasons are not good enough. I hereby sentence you to one month imprisonment on the first count and an additional six months on the second count charge.’’
The magistrate, however, said the terms would run concurrently.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Andrew Aichenede, told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 12, at the Nyanya Branch of United Bank for Africa’s banking hall.
Aichenede said that the bank’s security guard found the convict hiding in the ceiling soon after he noticed a break into the banking hall with the branch ATM strong room tempered with.
He said that the guard also found with the convict, a bag containing two intercom telephones, a rod, pliers, scissors and a screw-driver.
Aichenede said that the accused immediately confessed to the guard saying “I broke into the bank to steal but did not find any money.
“I then decided to steal these phones.”
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 349, 354 and 289 of the Penal code. (NAN)
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