The Dei-Dei Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja, on Monday, sentenced three security guards, Dauda Ibrahim, Musa Hussani, and Hassan Saleh, to nine months’ imprisonment each for stealing a Geepee water tank.
Messrs Ibrahim, 40, Hussani, 30, and Saleh, 30, all security guards of Shagari Quarters, Dei-Dei, Abuja, pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy and theft but begged the court for leniency.
The judge, Saminu Suleiman, gave the convicts an option of N20,000 fine each.Mr Sulieman also ordered the convict to pay N50,000 to compensate the tank’s owner.
The prosecutor, Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the complainant, Rabiu Bello, reported the matter at the Dei-Dei Police Station on January 26.
Mr Ogada said on the same date, the convicts criminally conspired and went into a compound in Shagari Quarters, Dei-Dei, belonging to Halima Ibrahim of Gwarinpe.
He said the convicts dishonestly trespassed into the compound and stole a Geepee water storage tank, worth N200,000, and an angle iron, valued at N200,000, and ran away, but were later caught and handed over to the police for proper investigation.
The prosecutor said during the investigation, the convicts made a confessional statement, and the tank was recovered.