Nigerian Newsday

By Abubakar Sani

A middle-aged-man Matthew John was last Friday arraigned before an Abuja Magistrate Court for snatching a lady’s handbag. The accused of Durumi, Abuja, had two related cases of theft of ladies handbags to answer when the case came up for hearing.

Although Matthew John admitted stealing the bag of one woman he however denied having a hand in the second theft. While pleading guilty to the first charge, John explained that he stole the lady’s bag while he was riding a motorcycle on the 8th of November, 2006 in Wuse Area of Abuja City.

"It is not my fault. It was my friend Kingsley that said I should follow him to Wuse II and the bag was collected forcefully by both of us" John said while explaining what pushed him into the crime.

The prosecutor Sergeant Amiko Obed had stated in the police report that a handbag belonging to one Rose Okorie of Phase 1, Kado Estate, Abuja was snatched while she was walking along K-City Plaza, Wuse II, Abuja. In his submission, Sergeant Obed said since the accused admitted the first charge, the court should try him summarily.

In her ruling, magistrate Josephine Obannor sentenced him to 45 days imprisonment without option or fine. She observed that the accused was handed a lesser sentence as a first time offender adding that the council can appeal the sentence within 30 days.

On the other charge of snatching a lady’s handbag containing a hand set valued at N15, 000 and a purse containing N6, 000, Matthew John pleaded not guilty.

Police First Information Report (FIR) said the crime was committed on the 7th of November, 2006 while the victim Miss Adesuji Adebimpe was walking along Dennis Hotel, Wuse 2, Abuja. He was said to have been identified by the victim who got information that he had been arrested at the Utako Police Station.

While adjourning the case to December 4 for hearing, the magistrate granted the accused the bail in the sum of N50, 000 and a surety in the like sum who resides within the jurisdiction of the court.