19-Year-Old Bus conductor To Receive 15 Strokes In Abuja

An Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court on Monday ordered that Daniel Osayinde of Zone 4, Lubge, Abuja, be given 15 strokes of the cane for stealing a car battery.

The magistrate, Mr Emmanuel Iyanna, who gave the judgment, said that Osayinde’s sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

Osayinde, a 19-year-old bus conductor, was also convicted of trespass and theft.

The prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Elijah, told the court that the case was reported at Lugbe Police Station by Jonah Mathias of Zone 6, Lugbe, Abuja, on Sept. 2.

Elijah said that on the same date Osayinde trespassed into the compound of Mathias, vandalised his car and stole the car battery, valued at N11,500.

The prosecutor said  Osayinde was caught in possession of the car battery and could not give any satisfactory account of how or where he got it, an offence contrary to sections 348 and 287 of the Penal Code.

Osayinde pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for mercy.

He said ``I was living with my mother, who died just recently, and do not have anybody to take care of me. I am sorry and begging the court to forgive me.’’