NAN-
An Upper Area Court in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday sentenced two men, Rufai Musa (19) and Jamilu Zakari (20) to nine months imprisonment each, for stealing two goats.
The convicts, residents of Angwan Rogo area of Jos, were jailed for stealing the goats valued at N18,000 belonging to one Hajia Aishatu Jibrin.
The court, however, gave them an option of N6,000 fine each, the News Agency of Nigeria report.
The Judge, Malam Mustapha Hassan, said the prosecution had done an excellent job of presenting sufficient evidence and physical exhibits, to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“The confessional statement of the accused assisted the court to pass judgement on them,’’ he said, adding that the court had relied heavily on Section 157 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code to convict the accused.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr. Shuaibu Tambaya, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 1 at about 11.30am.
Tambaya said Jibrin came to Angwan Rogo Police Station on May 1 at about 12.30pm. and reported that the accused had stolen her goats.
According to him, the complainant informed the police that the accused were sighted by her children dragging the goats to the market.
Tambaya said, “They, however, ran out of luck as the children went to inform their mother that they saw the men with the goats.
“The woman raised the alarm, which attracted some passersby, who assisted her to arrest the accused and took them to the police station.’’
He tendered the two goats before the court as exhibit, saying the offence was contrary to Section 287 of the Penal Code.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency, saying that it was poverty that pushed them into stealing.
The judge warned them to be of good behaviour after serving their term in prison, adding that the court would not be lenient to them in future if they appeared before it over a similar offence.