A Magistrate’s Court in Jos has sentenced a 23-year-old trader, Ishah Mustapha, to 14 months’ imprisonment for stealing a car battery.
Magistrate Irene Pati delivered the judgment on Monday after Mustapha pleaded guilty to the charge.
The court, however, gave the convict an option of paying an ₦80,000 fine in place of serving one year of the sentence. He was also ordered to pay ₦70,000 as compensation to the complainant or serve an additional two months in prison if he defaults.
According to the prosecution, Inspector Ijuptil Thiawur, the case was reported to the “C” Division Police Station on September 2 by the complainant, Moshood Bashir.
Thiawur told the court that Mustapha and an accomplice, Haruna Ismail—who is currently at large—conspired to steal the battery, valued at ₦52,000, from Bashir’s vehicle before they were apprehended.
The prosecutor said the offence contravenes provisions of the Plateau Penal Code Law.