2nd February, 2012
A Jos Upper Area Court on Wednesday sentenced a trader, Sabitu Mustapher, 25, to six months imprisonment for unlawful possession of a stolen welding machine.
The machine, valued at N24,000, belonged to Awwal Mohammed.
Mustapher, a resident of Angwan-Rogo, Jos, was, however given an option of N3,500 fine after he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge.
Prosecutor Gokwat Ibrahim had told the court that on January 19, Rabiu Musa was arrested by the police for stealing a welding machine which he sold to the convict.
Ibrahim said that Mustapher bought the welding machine at the cost of N10,000 from Musa.
During police interrogation, the convict confessed to have purchased the machine from Musa, but claimed that he did not know that it was stolen.
The prosecutor told the court that the action was contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code.
When the case came up for mention, Mustapher pleaded guilty but begged the court for leniency.
Trial Judge Mustapha Hassan, after sentencing the convict, warned him to be of good behaviour after his jail term. He vowed to punish him severely if he ever appeared in court a second time.