A Karu Upper Area Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced a 30-year-old man, Ola Ibrahim to five months imprisonment for alleged stealing of his neighbour’s cellphone.

The judge, Malam Ishaq Hassan, gave the convict an option of N10,000 fine.

Hassan also ordered the convict to pay the complainant N36,000 in damages.

Ibrahim, who resides in Kpegegyi, village, FCT, had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge of theft and pleaded for leniency.

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Ayotunde Adeyanju, told the court that the complainant, Alice Danjuma of same address with the convict reported the matter at the Jikwoyi Police Station on Jan. 24.

He said that the complainant alleged that the convict invited her to his friend’s house and she later discovered that her phone was missing.

He said the complainant suspected that the convict stole the said phone.

The offence, he said contravenes the provisions of Sections 287 of the Penal Code