A Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court, Abuja, on Wednesday sentenced 25-year-old farmer Salisu Sule to 12 months imprisonment for stealing church glass pulpit and wheelbarrow.

Mr Sule of Yimi Zuba, Abuja, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal trespass and theft and begged the court for leniency.

The Judge, Saminu Suleiman, however, gave the convict an option of N40,000 fine.

Mr Suleiman ordered the convict to pay N140,000 as compensation to the complainant and warned him to desist from committing crime.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Chinedu Ogada, told the court that the complainant Emeka Ucheara of Dangerou fire and miracle Ministry Ruryi Zuba, Abuja, reported the matter at Zuba Police Station on January 4

Mr Ogada said that on the same date at about 11:00 p.m., the convict criminally trespassed into the complainant’s Church at Zuba  through the fence without his consent.

He said that the convict stole the church glass pulpit valued at N100,000 and a wheel barrow.

He said that the in the process the convict dishonestly broke the church glass pulpit but was caught and handed over to the police for proper investigation

The prosecutor said that during police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement but could not give a satisfactory account of his actions.

He said the iron rod was recovered from the convict and the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 348 and  288 of the Penal Code.

(NAN)