A Magistrates’ Court in Minna has sentenced a man, Kabiru Abubakar, to six months in prison for buying a stolen phone.
The Presiding Judge, Binta Rijau, however, gave the convict a fine option of N5,000.
Abubakar had been standing trial alongside Musa Umar on charges of theft and receiving stolen property, contrary to Sections 287 and 317 of the Penal Code Law.
When the matter came up on Friday for further mention, Abubakar told the court that he wanted to change his plea after he and Umar both initially denied the charges when the case was first mentioned on Aug. 9.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Thomas Peter, thereafter prayed the court to try him summarily and in line with Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Peter had told the court at the last sitting that Oluchi Ogada reported the matter at the Tudun Wada Station on July 4.
He said the complainant alleged that she went to Beji Market in Bosso Local Government Area to supply bread and left her phone and hand bag containing N240,850 inside her car.
He told the court that Umar, the first accused person, was said to have made away with the phone and the bag and sold the former to Abubakar, the second accused person.
