A magistrates’ court in Jos on Friday sentenced a 28-year-old tricycle operator, Sagir Abubakar, to 18 months in a custodial centre for a missing tricycle kept in his custody.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, sentenced Abubakar after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos said the punishment would serve as a deterrent to others who handled property kept in their possession with negligence.
The convict was, however, given a fine option of N10,000 or risk six months in jail.
He was also ordered to pay a compensation of N253,000 or spend another one year in prison.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Inspector Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on April 3 at the “C” Division Police Station by one Balarabe Lawan, the complainant.
Gokwat said the convict was given a tricycle valued at N400,000 for business but was unable to account for it due to negligence.
The offence, he said, was punishable under the Plateau State Penal Code Law.
Kaduna trader bags two-year imprisonment for dealing in hemp
A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Friday sentenced a 37-year-old trader, Ismail Mustapha, to two-year imprisonment for unlawful possession of Cannabis sativa (hemp).
The judge, Hadiza Shagari, sentenced Mustapha after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
She, however, gave the father of three a fine option of N50,000.
The judge held that the convict was a first-time offender.
Shagari warned the convict against indulging in such illicit business after serving his jail term because the court would not be lenient on him the next time.
Justice Shagari ordered that the hemp be destroyed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the presence of the chief registrar of the court.
Mustapha was arraigned by the NDLEA on one count of possession of illicit drugs.
The NDLEA prosecutor, Mr T. J. Atserhegh, told the court that the convict was arrested with the substance on May 10 by NDLEA officials.
The prosecutor tendered some documents in evidence as well as some remnants of the substance.
He said the offence contravened Section 11c of the NDLEA Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
