A 27-year-old carpenter, Oryiman Terkimbi, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court for burgling a restaurant.
The convicted man, a resident of the Wadata area in Makurdi, pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the case was heard on Wednesday, with prosecutor Inspector Inedu Friday presenting the details of the crime to the court.
According to Friday, the incident was reported on July 17 by Mercy Dominic, the owner of the targeted restaurant located on Naka Road in Benue.
“He took a bag of 5kg Semovita valued at N7,000, 13 bottles of red oil valued at N13,000, a bottle of Fanta worth N300, and five covers of aluminium cooking pots valued at N17,000,” the prosecutor told the court, detailing the items stolen during the break-in.
Inspector Friday further stated, “During the police investigation, the defendant was arrested and he confessed to committing the crime.” He added that some of the stolen items, including pot covers, five bottles of red oil, and the bag of Semovita, were recovered from the convict.
The prosecutor noted that Terkimbi’s actions were in violation of Sections 355, 350 and 289 of the Benue State Penal Code, Law of 2004 as amended.
This case highlights the ongoing challenges of petty crime in urban areas and the swift action of the judicial system in Benue State. It serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of such actions, even for seemingly minor offenses.
