‘I stole bag of rice, maize because I was hungry’

By Joy Kaka

A 21-year-old security guard, Mohammed Yunusa, has told a Magistrates’ Court in Kubwa, Abuja that he stole a bag of rice and maize belonging to his boss, retired Deputy Inspector-General ( DIG) Ali Janja, because he didn’t have any food to eat.

Yunusa, who lives in Dawaki area of Abuja, pleaded guilty plea to criminal conspiracy and theft.

“My boss, retired Deputy Inspector-General ( DIG)Ali Janja, employed me as a security guard because the former guard, Aminu Haruna travelled in December.

” My boss travelled to Kaduna and left me with his children at home. The children do not give me food to eat. I stole one bag of rice and one bag of maize for my food and not for selling,” he said.

Yunusa added that he spent 19 days in the police station and prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he was sorry.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, John Okpa told the court that he was not making an application for compensation of the stolen items because they had been recovered from Yunusa.

Magistrate Oyepeju Mustapha sentenced Yunusa to two months community service within the court premises and ordered him to provide a guarantor.

Mustapha said that if Yunusa does not have a guarantor, he would serve one month imprisonment.

The prosecution had said that one Jibrin Dauda, a police officer, attached to Yunusa’s boss reported the matter at the Divisional Headquarters ,Dawaki, Abuja on Jan.12.

He said that Yunusa and Haruna conspired and stole one bag of maize and one bag of rice from their boss’ store worthN500,000.

The offence, he said, contravene the provisions of sections 97 and 288 of the Penal Code.(NAN