Court jails two men for stealing yam

A Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada in
Nasarawa State, on Friday sentenced two
labourers to six months imprisonment each for
stealing 50 tubers of yam.
The judge, Upside Yaqub, however, gave the
convicts, Habibu Kabiru, 25; and Salisu Hamidu,
22, both residents of Old Orange Market
Mararaba, an option of N5, 000 fine each.
Yaqub warned them to desist from committing
crimes and ordered that the tubers of yam be
returned to the owner.
The convicts had pleaded guilty to a four-count
charge of criminal conspiracy, trespass, mischief
and theft.
Following the guilty plea, the Prosecutor, Agabi
Auta, urged the court to try them summarily
under Section 347 of the Administration of
Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Earlier, Auta had told the court that the
complainant, Utume Clement of Kudu village,
Mararaba, reported the incident at the ‘A’ Division
Police Station, Mararaba, on Dec. 22.
He said that the convicts and one Musa Iliya,
now at large, went to the complainant’s farm at
Kudu village, Mararaba, and harvested 50 tubers
of yam.
The prosecutor said the convicts were
apprehended while trying to put the yam in a sack
and were handed over to the police immediately.
He said the offences contravened Sections 79,
347, 348 and 287 of the Penal Code.
NAN