An Area Court in Jos on Monday sentenced two friends, Michael Auta and Gabriel Sunday, to 12 months in prison each for stealing clothing items valued at N488,000 from a fashion shop.
Presiding over the case, Judge Shawomi Bokkos handed down the sentence after the duo pleaded guilty to the charge of theft. However, the judge offered them an option of a N50,000 fine each.
In addition to the jail term or fine, the convicts were also ordered to pay N200,000 each in compensation to the complainant, Ms Gift Ernest. Failure to comply with the compensation order would attract another 12-month jail term, the court ruled.
Earlier, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Daniel Damulak, informed the court that the theft was reported on April 17 at the B Division Police Station by Ms Ernest. According to her, the convicts had unlawfully entered her shop and made away with clothes worth nearly half a million naira.
Damulak said that during investigation, both Auta and Sunday confessed to committing the crime. He added that their actions contravened the Plateau State Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria, enacted in 2017.
