AISHA ABUBAKAR
A panel beater, Adebo John, has been sentenced to three years in prison with an option of fine in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for stealing his customer’s car, which was brought to him for repairs instead he sold the car and escaped.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that it was the judgment of the Dei-dei Grade I Area Court in Abuja, which found him guilty and subsequently sentenced him accordingly for the offence under the Criminal law.
The 40-year old convicted was sentenced after pleading guilty to the charges while also pleading for leniency for the Court to temper justice with mercy.
The prosecution counsel, Chinedu Ogada, told the Court that the complainant, Igwe Ukoha, gave the convict, John, his vehicle to panel beat and paint but instead he took the vehicle to Kaduna State to sell it.
However, the matter was reported at Zuba Police Station and John was consequently arrested by a team of surveillance operatives of the Kaduna Police Command and brought back to Abuja to face the Criminal charges against him.
The prosecutor stated that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code while Section 287 states that whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years or with fine or with both.
The Presiding Judge, Saminu Suleiman, found him guilty as charged and sentenced accordingly.
However, the Court gave the convict the option of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) fine and warned him to desist from committing crimes and be of good behaviour.
The convict was taken to the correctional center pending when he will pay the fine before he will be released or he will complete his prison term.