A Lugbe Grade I Area Court in Abuja, on Thursday, January 4, 2024, sentenced a 23-year-old security guard, Peter Elisha, to 16 months imprisonment for stealing three bicycles worth N1.9 million.

The prosecution counsel, Stanley Nwaforaku, told the court that the complainant, Mohammed Aliyu of Durumi Abuja, reported the matter at the Durumi Police Station on December 23, 2023.

Nwaforaku said the security guard, at about 6 a.m. on December 17, stole three bicycles valued at N1.9 million belonging to one Jonah Izuka, who lives on 316 Francis Okoro Street in Durumi, Abuja.

The prosecutor said during the police investigation, the convict confessed and one of the said bicycles worth 400,000 was recovered from one of his friends, Ali Hassan.

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He added that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Elisha pleaded guilty to two counts of joint act and theft.

The security guard also begged the court for leniency.

The presiding judge, Aliyu Kagarko, however, sentenced the security guard to 16 months imprisonment with an option of N60,000 fine.

Kagarko also ordered the convict to pay compensation of N1.5 million to the owner.

The judge warned the convict to be a good citizen and desist from committing crimes, saying the punishment would have been stiffer if Elisha had not saved the court from the rigours of protracted prosecution.

The Star