Security guard jailed 6 months for stealing colleague’s cell phones

A Dei-dei Grade I Area Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, sentenced a security guard, Joshua Nelly to six months imprisonment for stealing two phones belonging to his colleague, Sadiq Mohammed.

The convict pleaded guilty and asked the court to temper justice with mercy.

In his ruling, the Judge, Malam Sulyman Ola sentenced Nelly after he pleaded guilty to the offence and begged the court for leniency.

Ola, however, gave the convict an option to pay N20, 000 as fine and advised him to be a responsible citizen and diligent at his work place.

“The court, having found the convict guilty of the offences, in line with his plea for mercy.

“As a first time offender, who did not waste the time and resources of the court.

“Nelly is hereby sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option to pay N20, 000 fine,’’ Ola pronounced.

He said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in any criminal act.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada told the court that, the police charged Nelly, 34, who resides in Gwarinpa, Abuja, with theft.

He said the case was reported at the Gwarinpa Police station on Feb. 11, by Sadiq Mohammed of Works and Housing, Gwarinpa, Abuja, at about 10:00am.

Ogada said that on the Feb.5, at about midnight, the complainant kept his two phones at the security post while on duty with Nelly.

He said the complainant eventually slept off and when he woke up the next morning, the phones were not at the position he kept them, however, the convict denied seeing the phones.

The prosecutor added that during police investigation, the convict admitted to the crime, returned one of the phones and promised to return the second one.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 288 of the Penal Code Law. (NAN)