Court sentences farmer to 40 months imprisonment for stealing

A Central Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama in Jos on Thursday, sentenced a 32-year-old Pannu Bitrus to 40 months in prison for breach of trust and stealing.

A panel of two magistrates, Ghazali Adam and Hyacinth Dolnaan, sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the two count charge offence.

The panel said that for the offence of breach of trust, Bitrus would serve 16 months in prison without option of a fine and, for stealing, another two years or a fine of N30,000.

The magistrates also said that the sentences would run concurrently.

They said that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in such criminal act.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Insp. Monday Dabit, had told the court that the case was reported at the Anglo-Jos Police Station in July 7, by Alistine Mwrarta of Abuja , who was the complainant.

Dabit said that the accused was employed to guard the complainant’s house.

The prosecutor said that the accused stole and sold property worth N700,000 from the house and converted the money to his personal use.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 297 and 273 of the Plateau State Penal Code Law.