A 25-year-old technician identified as Sunday Ogboji, was today, August 18, sentenced to five months in prison by a Kado Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Abuja, for stealing a cock worth N4,000.
Alhaji Mohammed Ado, the court judge, however gave Ogboji, an option of N6,000 fine for the two-count charge of criminal trespass and theft, and warned him to desist from crimes, adding that the convict should pay N4,000 as restitution to the nominal complainant.
Augustine Urom who is the prosecutor had earlier told the court that Inspector Simon Aliyu of same address with the convict, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, on Aug. 14, adding that the complainant reported that on Aug. 8, after seeing the convict stealing one of his birds valued at N4, 000.
It was gathered that when Ogboji was arrested and interrogated by the police, he admitted stealing the cock and eating it, saying that he did not know what possessed him to steal the cock although he had not eaten meat for a long time. He pleaded guilty to the offences and prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, promising to be of good behaviour in future.