A Magistrates’ Court in Pankshin, Plateau, has sentenced a 54-year-old man, Solomon Davwet, to 12 months in a correctional centre for criminal breach of trust.
The court, presided over by Yebo Dabup, also ordered Davwet to pay N2.3 million in compensation to the nominal complainant.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Dabup said the prosecution had proved the case of criminal breach of trust against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.
The magistrate said Davwet was facing a three-count charge of criminal breach of trust, cheating and mischief, punishable under Sections 297, 307 and 312 of the Plateau Penal Code Law, 2017.
He said Joshua Sunday, the nominal complainant, filed a complaint before the court in 2025, alleging that he employed Davwet as a sales representative at Pankshin New Layout in 2020.
According to him, the defendant agreed to the terms of employment, including that goods were not to be sold on credit, but later breached the agreement.
He said evidence before the court showed that the warehouse was stocked with Dettol, soaps, Jik, petroleum jelly and other products.
The magistrate said the complainant later noticed discrepancies in the defendant’s account books following his indulgence in credit sales, resulting in a loss of N2.9 million.
According to him, the defendant accepted responsibility for the discrepancies in the accounts but pleaded not guilty to the charges of cheating and mischief.
Dabup said after listening to seven witnesses and considering the evidence before the court and submissions by counsel, the court discharged and acquitted Davwet of cheating and mischief.
He, however, found him guilty of criminal breach of trust, contrary to and punishable under Sections 296 and 297 of the Plateau Penal Code Law, 2017.
Earlier, counsel to the complainant, C. Dachun, urged the court to award N2.5 million compensation to his client for the loss incurred in the business.
Counsel to the defendant, P. Panpe, pleaded for leniency, describing Davwet as a first-time offender and a father. He also urged the court to reduce the compensation to N2.3 million.
The court subsequently sentenced Davwet to 12 months in a correctional centre, with an option of N100,000 fine, and ordered him to pay N2.3 million compensation to the nominal complainant.
