30-year-old unemployed man imprisoned for four months for stealing friend mobile phone

On Tuesday, an Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada FCT convicted a 30-year-old jobless man, Idris Dada, to four months in jail for stealing a mobile phone valued N50,000 from a friend.

Dada was sentenced by Judge Malam Sani Umar after pleading guilty to two charges of criminal trespass and stealing.

Umar gave the offender the option of paying a N30,000 fine instead.

“If the offender fails to pay the fine, he will serve a two-month jail term for each of the offences, which will run consecutively.”

“The prisoner is accordingly directed to pay the plaintiff N50,000 in compensation for the value of the phone.”

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu, told the court that the complainant, Nwobodo Francis of new Kutunku, Gwagwalada, reported the matter at the police station on Jan. 1.

He said that the convict criminally trespassed into the house of the complainant and stole his Infinix smart V phone worth N50,000.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 342 and 286 of the Penal Code.

The convict who initially pleaded not guilty, pleaded guilty and promised to pay for the phone.

“I stole the phone when the complainant was sleeping.” He is a friend of mine. “I will repay you for the phone I took,” he begged.