A Magistrates’ Court in Kaduna on Wednesday handed a six-month jail term to 23-year-old Hassan Umar after he was found guilty of stealing an air conditioner.
Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel, however, offered Umar the option of paying a N10,000 fine.
He also cautioned the convict to stay away from criminal activities, noting that the punishment was intended to deter others.
Umar, a resident of the Kinkinau area of Kaduna, was arraigned on two counts of conspiracy and theft.
He admitted to the offences and pleaded for leniency, telling the court he acted out of hunger.
According to Prosecutor Chidi Leo, Umar and two accomplices—who are still at large—committed the offence on 20 November in the Ungwan Rimi area.
Leo said the group stole an air conditioner belonging to the complainant, Zainab Abdullahi.
Umar was apprehended by a vigilance group with the stolen item and later handed over to the police, while the other suspects escaped.
