A Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced an 18-year-old artisan, Daniel Jatau, to 10 strokes of the cane and cleaning of the court premises for stealing a generator, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Upper Area court judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, sentenced Jatau after he pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of criminal trespass, housebreaking and stealing.
Kagarko held that if the convict was put in prison at his age, he would mingle with hardened prisoners.
He, however, warned the convict to desist from committing further crimes.
Prosecutor Umoh Inah told the court that Linus Ireogbu, the vigilance group chairman of Kuruduma village, Asokoro, Abuja, reported the matter at the Asokoro Police Station on September 20.
He said Ireogbu caught Jattau with a Tiger generating set valued at N18, 000 while on a routine patrol within the village.
He said after interrogating Jauta, he confessed that he stole the generator from his neighbour’s room.
Inah said the offence contravened sections 287, 347 and 348 of the Penal Code.
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