An Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada, FCT, on Thursday sentenced a 22-year-old man, Lawrence Friday, to six months imprisonment for snatching a Gionee cell phone and a bag.
The convict, who resides in Gwagwalada, is charged with criminal conspiracy, causing hurt and extortion.
The Judge, Sani Umar, sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty and begged the court for mercy.
Umar in his ruling, ordered the convict to pay a fine of N50,000 for each offence or in default serve a jail term of six months for each offence.
He said that the sentencing would run concurrently.
”The reason for the sentencing, is because cases of such nature have become so rampant in the FCT.
” In the process of snatching phones or bag they will want to kill or cause hurt on their victims, am giving him an option of fine because he is a first time offender”, he held.
He said that this would serve as a deterrent to anyone who shares similar ideas with the convict.
Umar said that the convict could appeal to the FCT High Court within 30 days of judgment if he was not satisfied.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Abdullahi Tanko told the court that the complainant, David Jacob, of Gwagwalada reported the matter at the police station on April 20.
Tanko said that the defendant criminally conspired with Abbati Rilwanu and Isah all of the same address now at large and snatched the complainant’s Gionee cell valued N15,000 and a bag.
He said the bag contained the following items; N5,000, one Christian Dior polo shirt valued N1,500 and two phone chargers valued N4,000.
He said that during investigation the bag and Gionee cell phone was recovered, abandoned in the complainant’s house.
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The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97,246 and 292 of the Penal Code.
