Court jails student over palm oil theft

An Upper Area Court sitting in Masaka, Nasarawa State, on Tuesday sentenced a 21-year-old student, Sunday Anthony, to nine months imprisonment for stealing a bottle of palm oil.

The Judge, Mr Yakubu Ishaku, sentenced the convict, who resides at Jankawa Masaka, Nasarawa State after he pleaded guilty to the two-count of criminal trespass and theft.

The convict, who begged for forgiveness, was, however, given N10,000 option of fine.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Frank Swem, had told the court that two complainants, Ibrahim Christiana and Benjamin Uzor, both Anthony’s co-tenants, reported the matter at the Divisional Police Headquarters, Masaka, on Jan. 5.

Swem said on Jan. 2, at about 6 p.m., the defendant criminally trespassed into the apartments and carted away the following items: a bottle of palm oil and 62 ‘mudu’ of beans all valued at N29,850.

He said that when the defendant was arrested and interrogated, he confessed to the crime.

Swem said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 348 and 287 of the Penal Code.