I stole cell phone to pay for my WASCE, convict tells court
A 20- year -old man , James Egbe, on Thursday, told a Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court that he stole a cell phone to pay for his West African School Certificate examination.
Egbe of Kubwa , Abuja , had pleaded guilty to the two – count of criminal intimidation and theft .
He , however , begged the court for mercy , saying that he would not commit a crime again .
The Judge , Mohammed Marafa , however , convicted and sentenced Egbe to four months in prison with an option of N 10, 000 as fine .
Marafa also ordered Egbe to pay the complainant, Ani Obinna, compensation of N 24, 000 and that if he failed to do so , he would serve additional two months in prison.
The judge who said there was no excuse for committing crimes warned the convict to desist from doing so , adding that he must be punished to deter others .
The prosecutor , Babajide Olanipekun , had told the court that the complainant reported the matter at the Kubwa Police Station on April 3.
Oladipekun said Egbe attacked the complainant around St . Luke ’ s Catholic Church , Kubwa , and forcefully collected his Techno WX 3 cell phone valued at N 24, 000 on March 31.
He further said the convict sold the cell phone to one Emmanuel Omeje for N 11, 000, adding that the offence contravened Sections 397 and 287 of the Penal Code .
( NAN)