An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday sentenced a 20-year-old man, Hassan Badmus, to two years imprisonment for stealing a mobile phone valued at N85,000.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, did not give Badmus an option of fine.
She held that the accused was guilty of a two-count charge of stealing and burglary levelled against him.
The chief magistrate sentenced the accused to one year imprisonment on each of the counts.
She hoped that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to criminal acts.
The accused who resides at Badagry, Lagos, was arraigned on Feb. 22.
The prosecutor, Insp. Simeon Inuoha, had told the court that he burgled the residence of Mr Chibuike Okonkwo and stole his Samsung phone valued at N85,000.
Inuoha said the accused was apprehended by security guards as he was about leaving the house.
He said that the theft occurred on Jan. 26 on Agumaje Street, Badagry, adding that the offences contravened Sections 21, 285 and 305 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused had pleaded not guilty on arraignment, and was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He, however, could not meet the bail conditions and had been in prison custody until he was found guilty as charged.
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