A Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, yesterday sentenced Stephen Agbaragba, businessman, 26, to one year imprisonment for attempting to break into the home of AIG Ali Ahmadu (Rtd).The convict who was arraigned with Godwin Musa, 35, and Stephen Omeka, 32, had pleaded guilty to the offence.
The Judge, Mrs Chinyere Nwacheonwu, however, gave him an option of N25, 000 fine.
She also granted bail to the other accused persons, Musa and Omeka both businessmen, who pleaded not guilty.
Their bail is for N200, 000 with two reliable sureties each, who must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
“One of the sureties should be a civil servant of not below GL 12 in the Federal Civil Service with a current statement of account and a valid driver’s licence.
“The other surety should be a businessman that deals in fabrics, electronics and furniture who has a shop within Wuse, Garki, and Maitama districts in Abuja,’’ Nwacheonwu said.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Mr College Bob, told the court that on Jan. 23, the convict and the two accused, at Utako waterside, Abuja, conspired to commit an offence.
He said that they had planned to buy a master key to enable them to break into the home of former AIG, Mohammed Ali (Rtd), with the intention to steal.
The prosecutor alleged that they agreed that Musa would open the door after the master key had been bought.
Bob said that the convict and the accused persons were tried for criminal conspiracy and attempt to commit an offence.
He said that the offence contravened the Penal Code.
He had applied that the court should try Agbaragba summarily under section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code after he pleaded guilty.
The magistrate adjourned the case until May 19 for further hearing. (NAN)
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