An Ogun State Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Mowe, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, has sentenced a former packer with PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Mohammed Hassan, to two weeks’ imprisonment for stealing 52 copies of Saturday PUNCH from the company’s premises.
Hassan was caught around 1.50pm on Saturday, July 4, 2020, by the company’s security officials on duty after he took the newspapers, worth N13,000.
The matter was promptly reported at the Warewa Police Station.
The suspect was subsequently charged with one count of stealing by the Investigating Police Officer, W/Insp. Ese Olatunde, before the Chief Magistrates’ Court, Owode.
The case was re-assigned to the Mowe Magistrates’ Court, where Hassan was arraigned on Monday.
The charge read, “That you, Mohammed Hassan, on July 4, 2020, around 1.50pm, in the Obafemi Owode Magisterial District, did steal 52 copies of Saturday edition of PUNCH Newspaper, valued at N13,000, property of PUNCH Nigeria Limited, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State, Nigeria 2006.”
Hassan pleaded guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Philemon Inocha, tendered the defendant’s confessional statement as an exhibit before the court.
Hassan’s counsel, O. G. Olajide, urged the magistrate to temper justice with mercy, saying his client was a first-time offender.
The Magistrate, Mrs T. O. Adebutu-Obasanjo, sentenced Hassan to two weeks’ imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine.
(PUNCH)
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