A Magistrates’ Court in Jos has sentenced a 36-year-old mason, Clement Geoffrey, to eight months in prison after he was found guilty of stealing six bags of cement.
Geoffrey was arraigned by the police on a charge of theft and pleaded guilty when the case was read to him.
Delivering judgment, Magistrate Hannatu Ashom also gave the convict an option of a N50,000 fine in lieu of imprisonment.
In addition, the court ordered him to pay N48,000 as compensation to the complainant. The magistrate ruled that failure to pay the damages would attract an additional one-month jail term.
Prosecuting counsel, Insp. Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the matter was reported on May 28 at the Nassarawa Gwong Police Station by the complainant, Malam Hamza Bashir.
He explained that the convict had been entrusted with 30 bags of cement for safekeeping but allegedly diverted six bags for his personal use.
Gokwat added that the offence contravened the provisions of the Plateau State Penal Code Law.