A Grade I Area Court in Abuja, on Monday, sentenced a scavenger to 12 months in prison for wrecking an Abuja Electricity Distribution Company’s transformer fence and stealing.
The police charged Awal Abdullahi, 22, of Chikakore junction Byazhin, Abuja with mischief and theft. Abdullahi pleaded guilty to the charge and asked for leniency.
The Judge, Mr. Suleman Ola, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of 40,000 Naira. Judge Ola also ordered the convict to pay N50, 000 compensation for the damaged fence. Judge Ola additionally warned the convict to desist from committing crimes.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Chinedu Ogada, reported to the court that the convict committed the offense on Aug 1st and was caught and brought to the Kubwa Police for an investigation into the crime.
Ogada stated that on the same date at about 6: a.m. the convicted criminally and maliciously broke into the AEDC transformer fence worth 50,000 Naira and stole the transformer cover.
Ogada said that during the police interrogation and investigation, the convict could not give a satisfactory account of his action. The prosecutor added that the transformer covers were recovered from the convict and the offense contravened the provisions of sections 327 and 287 of the Penal Code.