Convict gets 6 months jail term for stealing again in police custody

A Dei-Dei Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Monday sentenced a 34-year-old Driver, Habib Dada, to six months imprisonment, for stealing N13, 250 belonging to a suspect in police detention.

Dada, of Gusape Asokor village, Abuja, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody and theft, then begged for leniency.

The Judge, Mr Sulyman Ola, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N40,000 for the two count charges, and warned him to desist from committing crime in the future.

Ola ordered the convict to pay the N13, 000, belonging to his fellow detainee, which he stole from police counter.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the convict was in detention inside the cell at the Efab Estate Police Station on April 29, in connection to a case of gym equipment, iPhone and car battery theft.

Ogada said a police officer opened the cell and brought out two suspects, and the convict used that opportunity and smartly moved from the cell to the counter, where he stole the money, and escaped from custody.

The prosecutor said he was later tracked down and re-arrested by the police.

He said during police interrogation and investigation, the convict confessed to the crime, and that all efforts made to recover the money from him proved abortive.

Ogada said the offence contravened sections 172 and 287 of the Penal Code.