A Gwagwalada Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Tuesday sentenced a 29-year-old car wash attendant, Kingsley Chinonso, to six months imprisonment for stealing N1.13 million.

The police charged Chinonso with criminal breach of trust, cheating and theft.

He had pleaded guilty to the charges and appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy.

The Magistrate, Olatunji Oladunmoye, who had previously remanded the convict, sentenced him to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N50, 000.

Mr Oladunmoye also ordered the convict to pay a compensation of N1 million to the nominal complainant, adding that this would serve as a deterrent to anyone that wants to toe the same part.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Abdullahi Tanko, told the court that the complainant, Victor Ikechukwu of Atlas International Hotel, Gwagwalada Abuja, reported the matter at the Gwagwalada Police Station on December 27, 2024.

Mr Tanko said that the convict on April 22, 2024, criminally stole the complainant’s ATM card and used it to withdraw the total sum of N1.129 million from his Zenith bank account.

He said, “He withdrew the money without the authorisation of the complainant. During police investigation the sum of N100, 000 was recovered from the convict.’’

He added that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 312, 322 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The convict however pleaded with the court to give him time to pay back the money.

“If given the time, I will love to pay him back his money,” he pleaded.

(NAN)