Court jails painter 2 years for stealing car

AN Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos on Wednesday sentenced a 27-year-old painter, Sani Idris to two years imprisonment for stealing a car.

Idris, who was arraigned for conspiracy and theft, had pleaded guilty to the charges.

The prosecution said the offences were contrary to Section 319 of the Penal Code.

The Judge, Yahaya Mohammed, sentenced the accused to two years imprisonment for conspiracy or an option of N8,000 fine.

On the charge of theft, the judge sentenced Idris to six months imprisonment without an option of fine.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. I. Yakubu told the court that the convict was a specialist in the conversion of stolen vehicle colours to prevent their detection by the police.

Yakubu said that on March 8, one Mgbechi Nkiruka of the University of Jos reported his missing car at the Police Area Command, Jos.

He told the court that during police investigation it was discovered that one Abdullahi Mohammed allegedly stole the car and took it to Zaria.

He said that the convict was caught in Zaria changing the colour of the stolen car.

Yakubu said that during interrogation, the convict had helped the police track down other stolen vehicles.