An Upper Area Court in Gwagwalada, FCT, on Tuesday sentenced a 22-year-old tailor, Jethro Markus to 14 months imprisonment for stealing a generator worth N55,000.
The convict, who resides in Passo village, Gwagwalada with criminal trespass and theft.
The Judge, Sani Umar, in his ruling held that the convict was a ‘habitual offender’.
Umar sentenced the convict to seven months imprisonment each for trespass and theft without an option of a fine.
He held that the sentence would run concurrently.
“The reason for this sentence is due to the fact that the convict is a habitual offender, who is appearing before this court for the fourth time.
“He is a habitual offender and should be treated as such. Giving him a light punishment will not pass the message and would do more harm than good,” he held.
He said that this would serve as a deterrent to anyone who shares similar ideas with the convict.
The judge ordered that the recovered generator set be handed over to the complainant.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Abdullahi Tanko told the court that the complainant, Usman Sani reported the matter at the police station on April 11.
Tanko said that the convict criminally trespassed into the complainant’s provision shop situated at Phase III, Gwagwalada, FCT, and stole his generator set worth N55, 000.
He said that the generator was later recovered in the possession of the convict, adding that the offense contravened the provisions of sections 342 and 287 of the Penal Code.
