A Karu Magistrates’ Court Abuja has sentenced a building block maker, Nansha Ayuba, to six-month imprisonment, for vandalising and stealing iron rod worth N3.1 million from an estate.

Ayuba, 27, of Idu Karmo, Abuja pleaded guilty to the theft but begged the court for leniency.

The Magistrate, Lami Sani, who did not give the convict an option of fine, warned him to desist from committing crime in the future.

Sani ordered the convict to pay compensation of N3.1 million to the complainant or serve 6 months imprisonment in lieu of the compensation.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, A.A. Adeyanju, told the court that the complainant, Ayanku Daniel of Paradise Estate, Abuja, reported the matter at the Durumi Police Station on September 16.

Mr Adeyanju told the court that on September 15 at about 7:pm the convict went to the reinforcement fence, vandalised it and made away with a 12 mm iron rod valued at N3.1 million without the consent of the owner.

The prosecutor said while the convict was moving the iron rod, one Abdulrahama Yusuf of the same address, saw him and reported to the complainant.

He said that during police interrogation and investigation, the convict confessed to the crime.

He said the offence contravened sections 327 and 289 of the Penal Code.

(NAN)