2 men receive 8 strokes each for concealing stolen property

Abuja – An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court on Monday ordered that two men, Ibrahim Salisu and Sani Adamu, be given eight strokes of the cane each for concealing stolen property.

Senior Magistrate Hadiza Shagari, who handed down the sentence, said it was to serve as a deterrent to other offenders of like mind.

Shagari also ordered that the stolen item be brought before the court within 24 hours.

Police prosecutor Emmanuel Nnamani had told the court that the case was lodged at the Garki Police Station on Oct. 5, by Inspector Kyauta Bala and his team.

He said that Bala and his team, who were manning ACCOS 57 B’ opposite Police Command, Garki, while on patrol caught Salisu and Adamu at the Apo round about, Abuja.

Nnamani said that Salisu and Adamu were caught in possession of an SH 3900 EXE Generator and could not give reasonable explanation of how they came about the generator.

He said that their offence contravened the provisions of Section 319 of the Penal Code.

The accused persons pleaded guilty to the allegation against them and begged for leniency.

“ We bought the generator inside a commercial bus at the rate of N2,500 and do not know the person, who sold it to us. We are begging the court to forgive us for the offence committed,’’ they both said.

Shagari said that although they had both pleaded for leniency, they must not go unpunished to serve as a deterrent to others of like minds. (NAN)