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Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 7 January 2020

Source: NAN

Court sentences man to 6 years in prison for stealing jewellery

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A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Benin on Tuesday sentenced a 27-year-old man, Simon Bedangzak, to six years in prison with hard labour for stealing jewellery and clothes. The court also sentenced Mohamed Musa, 23, and Ibrahim Aliyu, 37, to five years each in prison with hard labour for receiving stolen property. Chief Magistrate Patricia Igho-Braimoh sentenced the accused persons after she found Bedangzak guilty of stealing and Musa and Aliyu guilty of received stolen property. Igho-Braimoh, did not give the convicts an option to pay a fine, saying it would serve as a deterrent to others. “I find the three defendants guilty as par their plea and facts stated by the prosecution,” she said. Bedangzak, who was facing a two-count charge bothering on stealing, was sentenced to three years in prison in each count charge. The Chief Magistrate said the count 1 and count 2 jail terms would run concurrently. Earlier, the Prosecutor, ASP Osayomwanbor Omoruyi, said that Badangzak committed the offence of stealing on Nov. 9, 2019, at 2, Ewemade street, off PZ Road, Benin. According to the prosecutor, Badangzak stole 11 pairs of trousers, nine shirts, two eyeglasses, three pairs of shoes and a belt, valued at N480,000 belonging to Mr Sunny Ewemade. Omoruyi said the convict also stole Mrs Osasu Ewemade’s six gold earrings, three gold pendants, one necklace, valued N3.2 million. The prosecutor also said that on Nov. 26, 2019, the convict, Badangzak sold the stolen gold jewellery to Musa at Ring Road and Aliyu at Third East Circular Junction in Benin. He said during the cause of investigation the police recovered some of the stolen items. The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 390(4)g and 427 of the Criminal Code Act. Cap. 48, vol. 11, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo.