A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Gwagwalada, FCT, on Thursday sentenced a 35-year-old petty trader, Idris Dada, to six months imprisonment for negligent conduct.
The police charged Dada, who resides in New Kutunku Gwagwalada, FCT, with criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and negligent conduct.
Chief Magistrate Aliyu Shafa sentenced Dada to six months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.
Shafa ruled that the sentence was without an option of a fine, but that the sentencing would run from Feb. 1 when he was detained.
He objected to the prosecutor’s prayer for the convict to pay compensation of the said value for the cell phones that were stolen.
Shafa directed the complainants to file a civil suit to recover the said sum.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Dabo Yakubu told the court that the complainants, Comfort Haruna and six others, all of New Kutunku, Gwagwalada, Abuja, reported the matter at the police station on April 29.
Yakubu said the complainants, on April 28, gave the defendant their phones to charge on commercial basis.
He said the phones included; Itel phone worth N5,000, Infinix valued at N58,000, Techno Pourvoir III worth N45,000, Techno WX PRO valued N23000, Itel 1508 valued N37,000, Infinix Hot 8 valued N38,000 and Techno Camon valued N8,000.
The prosecutor said the defendant negligently allowed his friend, now at large, to take the phones.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97, 311 and 196 of the Penal Code.
The Defence Counsel, Isaac Adakole had earlier pleaded for leniency on behalf of his client, adding that he was a first time offender.
He said that the convict was a petty businessman who could hardly feed himself and family. (NAN)
