Bus conductor to spend five months in prison for stealing handbag

An Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos, on Tuesday, sentenced 20-year-old bus conductor, Ali Abbas to five months in prison for stealing a woman’s handbag.

The judge, Irene Pati, who sentenced Abbas after he pleaded guilty to the offence, however, gave him an option to pay a fine.

Pati said that for the offense of stealing he was to pay N10,000 fine and also a compensation of N 20,000 and if he defaulted, he would spend two months in prison.

He said the judgement would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in any such criminal act.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Gokwat told the court that the case was reported at the Rail Way Police station in Jos in Dec. 06, 2021 by one Fatima Zakawan of Rantiya Jos, who was the complainant.

The prosecutor said that the complainant boarded a bus to the market and when she alighted she discovered her handbag had been stolen.

“The bag contained N5,000 cash, ATM cards and other valuables,” said the prosecutor.

The prosecutor added that during investigation, the N5,000 was recovered from the convict, but he had thrown away the hand bag and the ATM cards.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 59 and 272 of the Plateau state penal code law.