By Alexandra Oladipo
Abuja, – A Karmo Grade I Area Court, Abuja, on Thursday, sentenced three unemployed men to eight months in prison each for stealing 30 phones valued at N600,000.
Those sentenced are Sani Yusuf, Saiad Yahaya and Umar Kamis,
The convicts, all male of Utako Village Abuja, were arraigned, tried and convicted after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy, shop breaking and stealing.
The Magistrate, Alhaji Inuwa Maiwada, who sentenced the convicts to eight months imprisonment each, however, gave them an option to pay N13, 000 fine each and N100,000 each as compensation to complainants.
Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Mrs Ukagha Ijeoma, had told the court that Nura Ahmed and Tahir Bilmuazu , who love in IV Unite duplex in Utako Village, Abuja, on Oct. 2, reported the matter at the Utako Police Station.
Ijeoma alleged that the convicts, formed criminal intention and broke in to the shop where Ahmed and Bilmuazu, operate on Oct. 1 and stole 30 cellphones valued at N600 000.
She further said that during investigation the cutlass used during the operation was discovered but all efforts to recover the phones proved abortive.
The prosecution said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79, 346 and 246 of the Penal code.