Trader jailed 15 months for stealing N450,000 from his neighbour

A Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday sentenced a trader, Stanley Aaron, to 15 months imprisonment for stealing N450, 000 belonging to his neighbour in the market.

Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel sentenced Aaron after he pleaded guilty to the crime.

Emmanuel however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N30, 000 and ordered him to restitute the sum of N450,000 to the complainant, Reuben David.

He added that in the event that the convict failed to restitute the money to the complainant, she will serve additional eight months prison term.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp Chidi Leo told the court that the convict, who resides in Sabo Tasha area of Kaduna, in March, sold 15 bags of rice for his co-trader who was not in his the shop.

Leo said that after the sales, the customers paid N450, 000 being payment for the bags of rice and the convict converted the money to his personal use.

He added that all efforts made by the complainant to get his money back failed.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 344 and 217 of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.