By Dorathy Aninge
Makurdi – A Benue Magistrates’ Court sitting in Makurdi on Wednesday sentenced one Monday Samuel to 18 months imprisonment for breaking into a shop and stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp Adama Owochio, told the court that one Christian Eze of 42, School Lane, Low Level, Makurdi, on April 25 reported at the ‘E’ Division police station that his shop at Wurukum market was burgled.
He said items such as clothes and shoes totalling N511,000 were stolen.
Owochio said the complainant suspected one Terwase Peter as the perpetrator of the crime.
During police investigation, Peter and one Godman Charles were arrested and arraigned in Magistrates’ Court 3 in Makurdi.
He said in the course of further investigation, Samuel, who was at large, was also arrested in connection with the case while 12 pairs of shoes were recovered from him.
Samuel, who admitted breaking into the complainant’s shop and stealing some items, begged the court for leniency.
Based on his guilty plea, the Magistrate, Mrs Franca Yuwa, convicted Samuel.
The convict was sentenced to six months imprisonment without fine for breaking into the shop as punishable under section 349 of the penal code and one year for stealing as prescribed by section 287.
Both sentences, the magistrate held, would run concurrently.