BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, has sentenced a tiler, Ugochukwu Ogwale, to six months community service for purchasing stolen tricycle.
The 22-year-old man pleaded guilty to purchasing a stolen tricycle valued at N2,000,000 at the rate of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000).
Police prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Mbam, told the court that Ogwale was guilty of a three-count charge of conspiracy and stealing committed on March 25, 2023 at a hotel in Kpirikpiri, Ogbaga road, in Abakaliki.
Mbam noted that the offences were punishable under the Criminal Laws of Ebonyi State.
The charge read, “That you, Ugochukwu Ogwale and others at large on March 25 at Man City Hotel, Kpirikpiri, along Ogbaga road, Abakaliki, in the Abakaliki Magistrate district, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: receiving stolen property and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516A(a) of the Criminal Code Cap. 33 Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi of Nigeria, 2009.
“That you, on same date and location, did receive one tricycle with registration number: AKW 309 UW, valued at Two Million Naira (N2, 000, 000) from one Nwode Emmanuel, knowing same to have been unlawfully obtained and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 427 of Criminal Code Cap. 33 Vol. 1 Laws of Ebonyi 2009.
“You did have in your possession one iphone 7 plus valued at One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira (N160, 000) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 430(1) of Criminal Code of the state.”
The court found the defendant guilty of the offences after the prosecutor presented the facts. Consequently, the defence counsel, Ikenna Mgbafor, informed the court that Ogwale was a first time offender and had no criminal record. Mgbafor urged the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing the convict.
Magistrate Nnenna Ukpabi sentenced Ogwale to six months community service.
“Hopefully, within the six months, the investigating team of the police will be able to arrest others at large. Ogwale, the offender should be coming to the court everyday to work within the court premises and sign afterwards,” she held.
She, however, ordered that the stolen tricycle be released to the owner.
