Abuja, Feb. 6, 2023: Three security guards, Dauda Ibrahim, Musa Hussani and Hassan Saleh, were on Monday sentenced by a Dei-Dei Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, to nine months imprisonment each for stealing a `Geepee’ water tank.
Ibrahim, 40, Hussani, 30, and Saleh, 30, all security guards of Shagari Quarters, Dei-Dei, Abuja, pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy and theft but begged the court for leniency.
The Judge, Saminu Suleiman, however, gave the convicts an option of N20,000 fine each
Sulieman also ordered the convict to pay N50,000 as compensation to the owner of the tank.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the complainant, Rabiu Bello of the same address, reported the matter at Dei-Dei Police Station on Jan. 26
Ogada said that on the same date, the convicts criminally conspired and went into a compound in Shagari Quarters, Dei-Dei, belonging to one Halima Ibrahim of Gwarinpe.
He said the convicts dishonestly trespassed into the compound and stole one geepee water storage tank, worth N200,000, and an Angle iron, valued at N200,000, and ran away but they were later caught and handed over to the Police for proper investigation.
The prosecutor said that during police investigation, the convicts made a confessional statement and the geepee water storage tank was recovered from them but all effort made to recover the angle iron proved abortive.
He said the offence contravened Sections 96 and 288 of the Penal Code.
In a related development, one Ibrahim Emiola, 52, was on Monday docked in an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, for allegedly damaging trees.
Emiola, whose residential address was not provided, is charged with conspiracy and malicious damage.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor, Mr Philip Amusan, told the court that Emiola committed the offences on Jan. 15 at 10.00 a.m. at Omi-Adio in Ibadan.
Amusan alleged that the defendant and others at large damaged cherry, `Ayin’ and palm trees worth N170, 000.
He said that the trees belonged to one Alhaji Mumini Yusuf.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 516 and 451 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. A. Akande, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50, 000 and two sureties in like sum.
Akande adjourned the case until March 13 for hearing.
