An Area Court in Yola, on Wednesday, sentenced two unemployed men to 18 months imprisonment each for stealing electric cables belonging to a businessman, Mr Edward Eke.
The convicts, Adamu Mohammed and Alex Ofor both of Hospital Road Yola, had pleaded guilty to the crime.
They however, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy and be lenient with them.
Delivering judgment, the Area Court Judge, Diya Lamurde convicted and sentenced the defendants following their guilty plea.
“The court having found the convicts guilty of the offence, in line with their plea for mercy.
“I hereby sentence you Adamu Mohammed and Alex Ofor to six months imprisonment with an option to pay N25, 000 fine each for the offence of criminal conspiracy.
“The first and second defendants are also sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, with an option to pay N50, 000 each,’’ Lamurde said.
He, however, ordered the payment of N500, 000 as compensation to the complainant Eke as requested by the prosecutor.
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Earlier, the Police Prosecutor, Insp Colman Michael told the court that the defendants were charged with criminal conspiracy and theft.
Michael said that sometime in December 2023, the complainant noticed that the electric cables behind his shop at hospital road, Yola, were gradually missing.
He said that in the month of January, the complainant realised more cables were stolen, including pipes and wires.
The police prosecutor said that Eke mounted a hidden camera around the shop, which eventually captured the culprit on camera and the defendants were arrested by the police.
He said during police investigation, the defendants admitted to the crime and the stolen items were recovered, the items earlier stolen were valued at N500, 000.
He said that the offences contravened sections 60 and 276 of the penal code law of Adamawa state.
