Custodian of Cleanliness Receives Six-Month Prison Term for Theft of JAMB's Laptop
A contract employee of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has been sentenced to six months in prison by Magistrate Court 2 in Kado-Life Camp, Abuja. The conviction stems from the theft of an HP laptop belonging to the Board.
The charge sheet presented to the defendant, Emmanuel Odey, details the allegation that he committed the offense on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at JAMB's FCT Zonal Office in Abuja. This act is deemed contrary to Sections 287-289 of the Penal Code, carrying the corresponding penalties as stated in the same section.
Odey, a cleaner hired for maintenance duties at the Board's FCT Zonal Office, became emotional and confessed in court to the theft of the HP laptop valued at three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N350,000). He explained that he committed the act in order to settle his overdue house rent, which had lapsed.
While appealing for mercy, he openly admitted to acting alone and attributed his actions to the influence of negative forces, pleading for an opportunity to rectify his behavior.
As reported by jambulletin, following a thorough cross-examination, Senior Magistrate Mr. Egbe Raphael Joshua remarked that the defendant, being a first-time offender, displayed remorse and had not unduly prolonged the court proceedings. He acknowledged that youthful exuberance might have played a role in the offense.
The Senior Magistrate expeditiously conducted the trial and pronounced the defendant guilty under Section 112 (8) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015. Consequently, a six-month prison sentence was imposed, accompanied by an alternative fine of five thousand naira.
Previously, as part of its efforts to unravel the enigma surrounding the disappeared HP laptop, the Board established an investigative unit led by Superintendent of Police, Joy Abuma. Her meticulous inquiry ultimately resulted in the apprehension of the defendant, who eventually admitted to concealing the laptop at his sister's place.
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