A Jos?Area Court on Thursday?sentenced ?a 23-year-old student, Mustapha Shuaibu,?of Government Secondary School, Dass, Bauchi State, to?one month imprisonment or an option of N1,000 fine?for criminal misappropriation and theft. ?
Shuaibu was also?ordered him to pay a compensation of N10,000 to the complainant.?
The court imposed the sentence after finding?Shuaibu guilty of stealing a GSM cell phone?valued at N13,500 belonging to?his friend, one Anas Abdulhameed. ?
The trial Judge, Mr Godwill Longs, ruled?that the prosecutor had convinced the court beyond reasonable doubt that the convict committed the offence. ?
“The court has invoked section 157 of the criminal procedure code (CPC) that stipulate quick judgment to any suspect that pleads guilty to an?offence,” the judge added. ?
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr Gokwat Ibrahim, told the court that?the?accused person committed the offence?on Sept. 6, 2012.??
Ibrahim told the court that the accused person?had collected the cell phone?of the complainant to “flash''? his (suspect's) brother and?disappeared with it.??
“The complainant, at about 1:30 p.m., lodged the complaint to?the Laranto Police Station. The?police swung into action and?arrested the suspect in a mosque on Sept. 9, two days after the incident. ?
“During police investigation, the accused confessed to have committed the offence and the sum of N3,000 was found on him as balance of the money from the sale of the item.” ?
The prosecutor said the accused had committed an offence contrary to section 309 and 288 of the Penal Code, and?urged the court to give the accused a summary trial as he had?confessed to?committing the crime. ?
The accused person, who?promptly pleaded guilty to the charge,?begged the court for leniency, saying that he was a first offender and that?a long sentence would?jeopardise his educational pursuits.
While delivering judgment, Longs warned the accused?to be of good character after his jail term and advised him against the?bad habit of stealing. (NAN)