A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja on Thursday sentenced a 32-year-old driver, Oguche John, to six months in prison  for absconding with his employer’s ATM card.

The police charged John who lives in Karmo, Abuja, with theft.

The Judge, Alhaji Inuwa Maiwada, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of  N10,000 fine.

Maiwada warned John against taking to crime in future.

Maiwada also ordered the convict to pay N60,000 as compensation to the complainant.

“In default of the payment, the convict will serve three months in prison,’’ the judge added.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mrs Ijeoma Ukagha, told the court that John committed the offence on Jan. 31.

Ukagha said that the complainant, Chief Kingsley Onyejeocha, of Utako reported the matter at the Utako Police Station on March 11.

She said the complainant employed John as his personal driver but on Jan. 31, the convict dishonestly stole his First Bank ATM card.

The prosecutor said that the convict withdrew N60,000 from the complainant’s account with the ATM card.

She told the court that the convict went to another ATM gallery and withdrew N10, 000 but he was arrested.

According to Ukagha, during police investigation, John confessed to the crime.

The offence contravened the provisions of Section 289 of the Penal Code.

John pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.

-NAN

BE

– Mar. 21, 2019 @ 16:10 GMT |