Three site workers have bagged six months imprisonment each for stealing nine iron rods worth N490,000.

The convicts, Mustapha Isah, 22, Uzaifa Sa’adu, 24, and Abba Musa, 23, all of Mabushi Abuja, were sentenced by a Dei-dei Grade 1 Area Court, Shagari Quarters, Abuja, on Thursday.

They all pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy and theft but prayed the court for forgiveness and leniency on the punishment.

“I  committed the offence. I beg the court to have mercy on me,” Mr Isah said.

In his allocutus, Mr Sa’adu also asked the court for mercy and leniency.

“I plead for mercy, I ask that the complainant, Ibrahim Abdulmalik, forgive us and the court be lenient in punishing us,” he said.

Delivering judgment, Judge Sulyman Ola, convicted and sentenced all three suspects following their admission to committing the crime.

“The court having found the convicts guilty of the offences, in line with their plea for mercy.

“And as first time offenders, who did not waste the time and resources of the court,

“Isah, Sa’adu and Musa are hereby sentenced to six months imprisonment each with an option to pay N20,000 fine,’’ Mr Ola pronounced.

The judge said that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in any criminal act.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Chinedu Ogada, told the court that Ibrahim Abdulmalik of Katampe, Abuja, reported the matter at Mabushi police station on August 9, at about 2:00 p.m.

The court heard that on August 8, at about 1:00 a.m., the convicts jointly conspired and stole nine iron rods from a building site at Katampe Abuja.

Mr Ogada told the court that while the convicts attempted to escape with the items, they were intercepted by vigilante members in the Katampe area and taken to the police station.

The prosecution counsel said during police investigation all three suspects admitted to the crime and the nine iron rods were recovered from them.

He stated that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79 and 288 of the Penal Code Law. 

(NAN)