Two NSCDC operatives bag four months imprisonment for theft

An Abuja Magistrates Court on Friday sentenced two operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to four months imprisonment for stealing N5.2 million medical items.
The convicts, Ogu Kenneth, 30, and Ojim Malpas, 33, were sentenced on a two-count charge of joint act and attempt to commit crime after they pleaded guilty to the charge.
Magistrate Fatima Malo, however, gave the convicts an option to pay N1,000 fine each.
Prosecutor Simon Ibrahim prayed the court to try the accused persons summarily under Section 157(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The section states: “If the accused admits that he has committed the offence of which he is accused, his admission shall be recorded as nearly as possible in the words used by him and if he shows no sufficient cause why he should not be convicted the court may convict him accordingly.”
Ibrahim said the convicts were posted to the Abuja Medical Store, Jabi, to secure drugs and medical equipment.
He said that they conspired and stole 20 cartons of hand gloves and five cartons of syringes worth N5.2 million, adding that they were caught in the process.
The prosecutor said that one Aweneguwa Emmanuel of the Abuja Medical Store, Jabi, reported the case at the Utako Police Station on July 27.
According to him, the offence contravenes Sections 79 and 287 of the Penal Code.