An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court yesterday sentenced a security guard, Bulus Bulama, to four years’ imprisonment for stealing electronics worth N999,000.
Magistrate O. M. Ajayi convicted Bulama after he pleaded guilty to each of the four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery and burglary.
She sentenced Buluma to one-year imprisonment on each count without fine. The convict will spend 12 months in jail since the sentences would run concurrently.
Bulama, who had no lawyer, pleaded for leniency.
He said: “I am sorry for getting involved in crime, it is my first time of stealing and it will not happen again”.
In her judgement, the magistrate said: “Having pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him, with the evidence provided, the defendant is hereby convicted as charged and is sentenced to one year imprisonment on each of the four counts.
“The sentence will take effect from the day of arraignment and will run concurrently.”
She advised the convict to steer clear of crime.
Earlier, prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji, who reviewed the facts, said Bulama was employed as a guard at Triple Eye Security Solution Ltd, 214c Eti-Osa Way, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi in Lagos on a monthly salary of N20,000.
But around 10pm on December 9, the convict and others at large, he said, stole items including CCTV Cameras, Printers, Television, and Laptops from the security firm.
He said Bulama had the keys to several offices and the store room on the premises.
“The defendant broke into these offices and stole some items valued at N999,000, belonging to the company.
“He and his accomplices also forged a gate pass using the name of the managing director of the security firm with which the car which was loaded with the loot was allowed to pass the gate,” Osuji added