A Grade I Area Court, Dei-Dei, Abuja, on Tuesday sentenced a 23-year-old labourer, Mathew Yakubu to nine months imprisonment for stealing N47,000.
Mathew, who lives in Kubwa pleaded guilty to house breaking and theft and begged for leniency.
The Judge, Malam Sulyman Ola, however gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N40,000.
Ola ordered the convict to pay N42,200 in compensation to the complainant and warned him to be a law abiding citizen.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Olaonipekun Babajide told the court that the complainant, Mathew Dangwan of phase 4, Kabuwa reported the matter at the Kubwa Police station on Feb. 4.
Babajide said the convict criminal broke into the complainant’s house and stole his N47,000.
He said that during police interrogation and investigation, the convict confessed to the crime and N5,800 was recovered from him but all efforts made to recover the remaining money failed.
The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened the provisions of sections 346 and 288 of the Penal Code.