A 21-year-old security guard, Mohammed Yunusa, told a magistrates court in Kubwa, Abuja, that he stole one bag of rice and maize because he had no food.

Mr Yunusa, who lives in the Dawaki area of Abuja, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and theft.

“My boss, retired Deputy Inspector-General ( DIG) Ali Janja, employed me as a security guard because the former guard, Aminu Haruna, travelled in December.

” My boss travelled to Kaduna and left me with his children at home. The children do not give me food to eat. I stole one bag of rice and one bag of maize for my food and not for selling,” he said.

Mr Yunusa added that he spent 19 days in the police station and prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he was sorry.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, John Okpa, told the court that he was not making an application for compensation for the stolen items because they had been recovered from Yunusa.

Magistrate Oyepeju Mustapha sentenced Mr Yunusa to two months community service within the court premises and ordered him to provide a guarantor.

Mr Mustapha said if Mr Yunusa did not have a guarantor, he would serve one month of imprisonment.

The prosecution had said Jibrin Dauda, a police officer attached to Mr Yunusa’s boss, reported the matter at the Divisional Headquarters, Dawaki, Abuja on January 12.

He said Messrs Yunusa and Haruna conspired and stole one bag of maize and a bag of rice worth N500,000 from their boss’ store.

Mr Dauda said the offence contravened sections 97 and 288 of the Penal Code.

(NAN)