Salihu was convicted by the court for breaking into the property of one Maj. Peter Obor, and stealing goods worth N4.1 million.
The court, however, gave the convict an option of N4,500 fine.
The Judge, Mrs Talatu Gada, in her judgement, said that, the court was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had committed the offence.
Gada further said that the prosecution had proved that the accused had committed the offence based on the evidence presented before the court, stressing that the court relied heavily on the confessional statement of the accused to sentence him.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Ado Ali, had told the court that the accused, on July 27, committed the offence when he broke into the property of one Maj. Peter Obor situated at No 18, Ndagi Faruk close, Jos.
Ali said that on the same date, at about 2 p.m., one Mr Ben Okeke, the caretaker of the property, reported to ‘A’ Division Police Station that the house had been burgled by unknown persons
Ali said that during police investigation, the accused was apprehended with different items belonging to the complainant, while he was trying to dispose of them, adding that when the accused was interrogated by the police, he confessed to have committed the offence.
The prosecutor tendered curtains; window blinds, bed sheets, blankets, satellite decoders and electronics as exhibits before the courts.
Ali said, “the accused has, therefore, committed an offence contrary to Section 353, 343 and 287 of the Penal Code.
The accused pleaded guilty to the three-count charge, and begged the court for leniency, saying that he is a first offender.
The judge warned him to be of good character after his jail term, and advised him to avoid stealing other peoples’ property as the court would not be lenient to him if he appeared before it in the future.
