An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court on Monday sentenced six persons to jail for attempting to vandalise communication installation in Maitama, Abuja.
The six, who were charged with joint act and attempt to commit an offence, are Sani Abubakar, Musa Ahmadu, Rabiu Mohammed, Umar Musa, Abdullahi Ahmadu and Ibrahim Abdullahi.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr Aminu Eri, who handed down the judgment after they all pleaded guilty, sentenced five of the accused to one month imprisonment each, except Umar Musa, who was once convicted for a similar offence.
The magistrate, however, gave an option of N50 fine to each count charge when they pleaded for leniency.
On the part of Umar Musa, who was once convicted, Eri sentenced him to six months imprisonment or pay a N500 fine for each offence.
The senior magistrate described the offence as a serious one and that such an offence was liable to seven years imprisonment under the law.
Eri warned them not to commit the offence again, adding that if they were brought to court for a similar offence they would be shot dead.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Mohammed Ahmed, had told the court that the accused persons were arrested on Jan. 12 by a team of policemen on patrol in the Maitama area of Abuja.
Ahmed said that the accused persons were brought to Maitama Police Headquarters by the leader of the patrol team, Insp. James George.
“The six formed a common intention to vandalise and steal M-Tel cables in Maitama.
“And when they were searched, a machine which was meant to cut the cable was recovered from them.’’
The prosecutor said that the offences contravene Sections 79 and 95 of the Penal Code.
He prayed the court to give them a summary trial as contained in section 157(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). (NAN)