Mechanic jailed 3 and half years for theft, escape from lawful custody

A Jos Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, on Friday sentenced a 21-year-old mechanic, James Joseph, to three and a half years imprisonment for theft and escaping from lawful custody.

The presiding Judge, Mr Yahaya Mohammed, handed down the sentence after Joseph pleaded guilty to the offences.

In his plea, the convict begged the court for leniency and promised to turn a new leaf in future.

“It was the devil that pushed me to do it; have mercy on me,’’ he pleaded.

Mohammed, however, gave the convict an option of N 9,000 fine, and further ordered him to pay N11,000 to Danladi Ali, the complainant.

Earlier, the Police prosecutor, Mr Ibrahim Gukwat, had told the court that one Mr Pam Chwang of Laranto village in Jos, reported that his maize store was broken into, on 22 July, 2016.

He said that Chwang, in his statement at the Mista-Ail police station, said that he suspected James Joseph.

“Joseph was arrested and detained at the Mista-Ail police station, but he broke the cell wall and escaped,” he told the court.

The prosecutor further disclosed that on 10 May, 2017, one Mr Danladi Aku of Kaskadi village, in Bassa Local Government Area, also came to Mista–Ail police station and reported that the same James Joseph beat him up and removed N11000 from him.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections  287, 173, 265 and 292 of the Penal code Laws of northern Nigeria.