A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Thursday sentenced a
housewife, Gift Benjamin, 41, to seven months
imprisonment for converting her friend’s N100, 000 to
personal use, Vanguard reports.
Benjamin, a resident of Abattoir area of Jos borrowed
the amount from her friend and did not pay back.
She faced a two-count charge of criminal breach of
trust and theft, punishable under sections 317 and 322
of the penal code.
The Magistrate, Mrs Helen Danboyi, gave the sentence
after the accused pleaded guilty to the charges and
begged the court for mercy. Danboyi said that the
sentence would serve as deterrence to others who may
want to engage in similar act.
The Prosecutor, Cpl. Karimu Bashiru, had earlier told
the court that one Mercy Amadi reported the case to
Anglo Jos Police Station on Jan. 30.
He said that Amadi claimed to have been deceived by
the accused who lied to her that she (accused) was
awarded a contract to knit 400 pieces of mobile
policemen sweater.
”She collected N100, 000 and promised that she would
return the money with 100 per cent interest,” the
prosecutor quoted the complainant as saying.
Bashiru said that instead of returning the money as
agreed, the accused converted the whole money into
her personnel use and all effort made to recover the
money proved abortive.
He said that the offence was punishable under section
317 and 322 of the penal code.
