The Chief Magistrate Court 1 sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, has sentenced a 25-year-old carpenter, Abdulkarim Mohammed and his friend, Mohammed Abatcha, to five years imprisonment each for stealing N444,000 from a POS operator.

The convicts were arraigned before Magistrate Kolomi Ali on a two-count charge.

According to police prosecutor, Inspector Inuwa Alasa, on 4th June, 2024, at about 3pm, one Bukar Abba Goni of Old GRA area, Maiduguri, reported the case to the commissioner of police, Borno State Command.

“He reported that you Abdulkarim Mohammed criminally conspired with Mohammed Abatcha aka Abatcha Ahmed and made away with an ATM card of Moniepoint belonging to the complaint and illegally withdrew the sum of N444,000.00.

“You, Abdulkarim Mohammed later bought an Infinix Smart 8 mobile valued at N120,000,” he said.

He said the convicts thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 60 and 274 of the Borno State penal code law.

When the FIR was read to the accused, they pleaded guilty to the charges.

The presiding magistrate ruled that each of the accused should pay a fine of N55,000 or three years in custody and compensation of N444,000 or two years in custody.