A Dei-Dei grade I area court in Abuja on Friday sentenced a security guard, Nweka Martins, to eight months’ imprisonment for stealing 200 live fish from his employer’s pond.

Mr Martins, who lives in Tungamaji in Abuja, was charged with theft and mischief.

The area court judge, Saminu Suleiman, however, gave Mr Martins an option of a N100,000 fine.

The judge warned the convict to desist from committing crime after serving their punishment.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Juliana Atinko, told the court that the convict committed the offence on December 18.

Ms Atinko said the complainant, Paul Nwufo, of the same address, reported the matter at the Zuba Police Station on December 21.

The prosecutor said that on December 18, the complainant discovered the convict criminally stole 200 pieces of fish from his pond and vandalised his car engine and transformer cables.

She told the court that the convict also collected N35,000 from the complainant’s customer without his consent.

The prosecutor added that during the police investigation and interrogation, the convict made a confessional statement.

Ms Atinko said the offence contravenes sections 287 and 327 of the Penal Code. 

(NAN)