Nursing mother caught stealing phone in Abuja, sent on probation

A Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday placed a 23-year-old nursing mother, Patience Mbang, on one year probation, for stealing a cellphone from church.
Magistrate Muinat Oyekan, gave the order pursuant to Section 455 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), adding that Mbang would enter a bond with one surety to be of good behaviour.
The magistrate also ordered Mbang to report to the court’s registrar every Monday from Feb. 24 for a period of one year.
The police on Feb. 12, charged Mbang with theft and she pleaded guilty,
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Babajide Olanipekun, told the court that Mbang’s parents refused to appear in court for discussions regarding her 19-month-old baby, as ordered by the magistrate.
He said Mbang’s parents said she was an adult and mother of three children who can take care of herself.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mbang and one Musa, now at large, stole one Akindele Sijibom’s Techno Spark IV cell phone worth N31,000 during a Church service on Feb. 9.
Mbang confessed to stealing the phone from a charging point and begged the court for mercy