A 29-year-old security guard, Emmanuel John, has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Kaduna Chief Magistrates’ Court for conspiring and stealing a generator set worth N680,000.
The convict, who hails from Ungwan Rimi, Kaduna, pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
Delivering the judgment, Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel held that the defendant was convicted and sentenced based on his plea of guilt to the offence.
He said, “The court having found the convict guilty of the offence, in line with his plea for mercy, a first-time offender who did not waste the time and resources of the court, Emmanuel John is hereby sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. With an option to pay N20, 000 fine.’’
The magistrate granted the prosecutor’s plea and ordered that the convict pay compensation of N680,000 to the complainant, Michael James.
He said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in any criminal act.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Chidi Leo, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on March 12 at Earl Plaza, Ungwan Rimi.
According to him, the defendant allegedly conspired with others, now at large, to steal a generator valued at N680,000 while working as a gateman in the plaza.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 411 and 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State 2017.
Reacting to the judgment, the complainant, Michael James, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, saying, “Justice has been served. I hope this will serve as a lesson to others who may want to engage in such criminal acts.”
