A Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court , Abuja on Tuesday sentenced a 21-year-old man, Suleiman Muhammed to 10 months imprisonment for stealing his neighbour’s property worth N48, 000.
Muhammed who lives in Jahi II by Catholic Church, Abuja, was charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal trespass, house breaking and theft.
The Area Court judge, Sulyman Ola, however, gave Muhammed an option of N40,000 fine.
Muhammed had earlier pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the convict committed the offence on July 27.
Ogada said that the complainant, Abdulrrauf Muhammed of the same address reported the matter at the Mabushi Police Station on July 31.
Ogade said on July 27 at about 7:30 p.m. while the complainant travelled to Kano, the convict and three others now at large, criminally trespassed into his house and broke into his room.
He told the court that the convict stole two cell phones, two shorts, two shirts, two caps, but was caught by the security guard while trying to scale the fence.
Ogada said that the convict was handed over to the Police in Mabushi for proper investigation.
The prosecutor added that during the police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement and the caps were recovered from him.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 348 and 288 of the Penal Code.