A Kaduna Magistrate Court on Wednesday sentenced a scavenger, Abdulkadir Musa, 23, to one month of community service for stealing electric cables. 

The magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, sentenced Mr Musa after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Mr Emmanuel said the community service should be done within the court’s premises or any government agency.

According to him, the light punishment was given because Mr Musa saved the court from a prolonged trial.

He warned Mr Musa to shun crime and expressed the hope that the punishment would serve as a deterrent to others.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Chidi Leo, told the court that Mr Musa committed the offence on February 20 at 12:00 a.m.

Mr Leo said Mr Musa trespassed on Barnawa, where a transformer was located, and cut the KEDC transformer copper wires.

He said 180mm copper wire was recovered from the scavenger during a police investigation.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.

Mr Leo prayed the court to try the defendant summarily under Section 347 of the Administration of Criminal Justices Act, 2015, because of his admission of guilt. 

(NAN)