Man to spend Xmas in prison for stealing N255,000 recharge cards

A 49-year-old man, Chidi John, is expected to spend this year’s Christmas Day celebration in prison custody having been found guilty of stealing recharge cards worth N255,000 and the sum of N25,000 in cash.  The accused had yesterday appeared before an Ogudu magistrate’s court in Lagos State. The magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, after listening to […]

A 49-year-old man, Chidi John, is expected to spend this year’s Christmas Day celebration in prison custody having been found guilty of stealing recharge cards worth N255,000 and the sum of N25,000 in cash.

 The accused had yesterday appeared before an Ogudu magistrate’s court in Lagos State. The magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, after listening to the prosecution and defence attorneys, convicted and sentenced John, of No. 16, Nhdshe Close, Otukpo in Benue State, to one year imprisonment.

 The convict had, at his arraignment, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing brought against him.

 Sule-Amzat held that the convict should serve out the one year jail term without an option of fine.

 The prosecutor, Sergeant Lucky Ihiehie, had told court that the convict committed the offence in March at No. 21, Church Avenue, Mile 12, Lagos State.

 Ihiehie said the complainant, Miss Ngozi Okwudilli, reported the case at the Mile 12 police post.

 He said, “The complainant sells recharge cards at the above address and met the convict early this year when he came to Lagos and had tried to befriend her. The complainant said the convict trades in yam and he came to her house in March to introduce his business to her.”

 The prosecutor said Miss Okwudili went to prepare food at the back of her house for the convict but by the time she returned into the main building, she could not find him. She then realised that the convict had stolen and fled with her bag containing recharge cards of various networks valued at N225,000 and a cash of N25,000.

But John was later apprehended.