An Ebonyi State-based driver has explained why he stole money belonging to St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki.
The man, Emmanuel Nwonu, was accused of stealing the church’s N45,465.
Although N41,465 was eventually recovered from him, Nwonu was, on Thursday jailed for 12 months
by an Ebonyi State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abakaliki.
The son of a visually impaired man said, “I am really suffering taking care of my visually impaired father; it has not been that easy for me. Currently, I have no place of my own to stay. I sleep under the Spera-In-Deo flyover every night. I am a driver and I lost my job, and since then, I have not found any other job to do.”
He was arraigned on two counts of burglary and stealing, with the charges reading:
“That you, Emmanuel Nwonu, July 11, 2020, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magisterial District, did enter a building used for religious worship and stole the sum of N45,465 belonging to St. Patrick Catholic Church, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 415 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you, Emmanuel Nwonu, on the same date and place and in the same aforesaid magisterial district, did wilfully and unlawfully damaged one offering box and it’s padlock valued at N15,000, property of St. Patrick Catholic Church, Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
Meanwhile, Magistrate A. C. Nwusulor, who presided over the case, said he decided sentence Nwonu to 12 months imprisonment instead of 7 years so he can think and repent. It was further gathered that prior to his recent sentencing, the convict was apprehended twice for stealing in 2017.
