An Upper Area Court in Zuba, Abuja, on Thursday ordered that a 20-year-old stylist, Henry Sunday, be given 12 strokes of the cane for stealing a Dell laptop and N228,500 cash.The police charged Sunday who resides in Anagada village, Abuja, with conspiracy, house breaking and theft on Aug. 19 and was remanded in a correctional centre.
Sunday had pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.The judge, Gambo Garba, said that the punishment would have been severe if he had not pleaded guilty.Garba said the guilty plea had saved the court the pains of long prosecution and also warned the convict to be of good behaviour.
Sunnday pleaded: “I am sorry sir, I will not steal again in my life. Please Sir don’t send me back to prison , I want to go back to my parents in Benin, the hardship is too much for me.” Forgive me sir”.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada, had told the court that the complainant, Ibru-Adogbeji Oghenetega, reported the matter at the Zuba Police Station on Aug.5
Ogada said that the convict on July 27 and one Ifeanyi Osor, now at large broke into the complainant’s house and stole his bag containing a cell phone and first aid box containing drugs.
He also told the court that on Aug. 5, the convict also stole a gas cooker and washing machine.
He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97, 354 288 of Penal Code
