By Ugochi Ugochukwu
Abuja – A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Monday, sentenced three security guards to six months in prison for stealing iron rods.
The convicts are: David Gimba, Akogwu Reuben and Musa Mathew, all residents of Deep Covers Guard Limited Idu Industrial Area, Karmo Abuja.
The trio, who were arraigned on a two-count charge of joint act and theft, were convicted of the charges.
The judge, Maiwada Inuwa, sentenced the convicts after they all pleaded guilty to the charges.
Inuwa, however, gave each of the convicts an option to pay N8,000 fine and warned them to desist from committing crime in the future.
The judge further ordered the convicts to jointly pay N6, 500 as compensation to the complainant.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mrs Ukagha Ijeoma, had told the court that one Sumaila Monosami of the same address, on July 23, reported the matter at Karmo Police Station, Abuja.
Ijeoma said that the three accused were posted to Ujat Nigeria Limited Company Idu Abuja, as security guards to protect the company’s property.
She told the court that the accused instead, dishonestly and jointly stole and sold the company’s iron rods, which they were asked to safeguard.
The prosecutor said the accused had confessed stealing and selling the iron rods at the rate of N6,500, which they shared among themselves.
Ijeoma told the court that the accused allegedly also confessed to the investigating police officer to have previously stolen iron rods from the same company.
According to her, the offence contravenes Sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.