Abuja court awards 10 strokes against man for stealing Quran, shoes

A man, Auwal Muazu got six strokes of the cane for stealing a copy of the Holy Quran and a pair of shoes of a worshipper in a mosque.

A Karmo Grade I Area Court, Abuja, gave the order on Friday following a guilty plea by Muazu, who resides at Utako village, Abuja.

Muazu was arraigned on a count of theft.

The Judge, Mr Abubakar Sadiq, said that the court gave Muazu a “light punishment” because he did not waste the court’s time.

Sadiq who warned Muazu to shun crime and become a good citizen hoped that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Mrs. Okagha Ijeoma, told the court that Muazu committed the offence on April 27 at 1.30 pm.

Ijeome told the court that the complainant, one Hadiyatullahi Abdulgani of National Forum headquarters, Utako Abuja, reported the matter at the Utako Police Station on the same date.

Ijeoma said that on April 27 at 1.30pm the convict pretended to be a worshipper and entered into the National Forum Mosque and stole a copy of the Quran.

Ijeoma added that Muazu also stole a pair of shoes belonging to a worshiper but he was arrested and handed over to the police for proper investigations.

She said that the police recovered the stolen items from Muazu during investigations.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 288 of the Penal Code.

Ijeoma had prayed the court to try the accused summarily under Section 347 of the Administration of Criminal Justices Act, 2015, following his admission of guilt.