Magistrates’ Court in Minna on Friday sentenced a 45-year-old bricklayer, Ahmadu Garba, to 10 months imprisonment for breach of trust.
Magistrate Christiana Barau sentenced Garba to three months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a two count-charge of breach of trust and criminal misappropriation,
Barau, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N5000 for each offences or serve out the three months.
The magistrate also ordered the convict o pay N100, 000 to the complainants as compensation or seven months in prison in the event of a default.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Ahmed Ali, told the court that one Mr Dele Martins and Mr Simon Iko reported the case at the Tudun Wada Police Station in 2018.
Ali said the complainants contracted the defendant to renovate a house at Talba Estate, Minna, where he stole some building materials.
“He carted away 2 bundles of zinc, 7 flush doors, 4 door frames, 2 shower trays and wooden planks which were entrusted in his custody.
“The defendant sold the said items and converted the proceeds to his personal use,” the prosecutor said.
When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency.
The prosecutor thereafter prayed the court to try him summarily in line with Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code