A 22-year old man, Denen Hangier, was, on Thursday, convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment for stealing four motorcycles belonging to different commercial motorcyclists.
Hangier, who lives in Shange-Tiev, Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue, had earlier been before a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court, charged with criminal conspiracy and theft.
The Prosecutor, Insp Joshua Ayuabaga, told the court that on May 4, men of Operation Zenda Joint Task Force, led by Insp Elijah Aonde, got credible intelligence about a syndicate which specialised in the theft of motorcycles in Gboko.
Ayuabaga said that the team swung into action and consequelty arrested the convict and one Michael Niyongo, suspected to be members of the gang.
He told the court that during police investigation, the convict confessed to have conspired with one Joshua (surname unknown) to steal two motorcycles from Gboko and the other two from Konshisha.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 97 and 288 of the Penal Code, Laws of Benue, 2004.
When the case came up for hearing, Hangier pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him, but said that he committed the crime with one Joshua (surname unknown) and not Niyongo.
In her judgment, the Magistrate, Mrs Regina Alachi, convicted Hangier but discharged Niyongo.
Alachi, however, gave the convict an option of N20,000 fine.