A Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court, Abuja on Wednesday sentenced a 25-year-old farmer, Salisu Sule to 12 months imprisonment for stealing church glass pulpit and wheelbarrow.
Sule of Yimi Zuba Abuja pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal trespass and theft and begged the court for leniency.
The Judge, Saminu Suleiman however, gave the convict an option of N40,000 fine.
Suleiman ordered the convict to pay N140,000 as compensation to the complainant and warned him to desist from committing crime.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada told the court that the complainant Emeka Ucheara of Dangerou fire and miracle Ministry Ruryi Zuba, Abuja reported the matter at Zuba Police Station on Jan. 4.
Ogada said that on the same date at about 11: p.m the convict criminally trespassed into the complainant’s Church at Zuba through the fence without his consent.
He said, the convict intentionally stole the church glass pulpit valued N100,000 and wheel barrow valued 140.
He said that the in the process the convict dishonestly broke the church glass pulpit but was caught and handed over to the Police for proper investigation
The prosecutor said that during police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement but could not give a satisfactory account of his actions.
He said the iron rod was recovered from the convict and the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 348 and 288 of the Penal Code. (NAN)
