By Fawaz Adebisi
In a striking legal development, a Kaduna State Chief Magistrates’ Court has delivered a resounding message to the community by sentencing teenager Kefas Dauda to eight months behind bars.
The gravity of this verdict stems from Dauda’s involvement in a theft case involving a laptop and two cellphones, with a combined value exceeding N700,000.
Charged with trespass and theft, Dauda, a resident of the Barnawa area in Kaduna, faced the unwavering judgment of Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel after pleading guilty to the charges.
This stern ruling left him with no option for a fine.
Furthermore, the court ordered Dauda to either compensate the complainant, Williams Timothy, with the sum of N237,450 or return the stolen phones.
The headline-making judgment not only serves as a legal milestone but also as a stark warning to those who might contemplate similar transgressions.
The case, initially reported by Timothy on September 29 at the Barnawa police station, unfolded as Dauda illicitly entered the complainant’s residence and made off with an official laptop valued at N450,000.
Additionally, he trespassed into another house in the same community, absconding with two phones valued at N225,000.
Adding to his list of offenses, Dauda had previously intruded into the house of Shehu Hassan within the same community back in July of the same year, making off with a plasma television worth N84,000.
The prosecution counsel, Chidi Leo, highlighted that all the stolen items, including the phones and television, were sold to an individual named Raymond, who currently remains at large.
Although the laptop was eventually recovered and returned to its rightful owner, the fate of the stolen phones and television remains uncertain.
This landmark verdict signifies a decisive stance on criminal activities within the community, as it falls under the purview of Sections 98 and 217 of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.
It reinforces the principle that unlawful actions will be met with proportional consequences, serving as a strong deterrent for those contemplating a similar path.
