Man Receives Corporal Punishment for Church Theft
A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to corporal punishment by a Kaduna Chief Magistrates' Court for stealing mobile phones from a church during worship activities.
The convict, Kingsley Timothy, who resides in Narayi area of Kaduna State, received 15 strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to stealing two phones valued at ₦650,000 from Christ Life Ministry church.
The Crime and Arrest
According to police prosecutor Inspector Chidi Leo, the incident occurred on November 15 when Richard Samuel, a member of the church, reported the theft at Narayi Police Station.
The stolen items included a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and an Infinix phone that were being charged within the church premises. The convict was apprehended shortly after committing the theft and handed over to law enforcement authorities.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
During the court session presided over by Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel, Timothy admitted his guilt and begged the court for leniency in his sentencing.
Magistrate Emmanuel delivered the judgment on Thursday, imposing the corporal punishment of 15 strokes of cane while also issuing a strong warning to the convict.
The magistrate advised Timothy to be of good behavior and desist from criminal activities, emphasizing that the court would not show similar leniency if he appeared before them again for another offense.
The prosecution confirmed that the offense violated Section 217 of the Kaduna State Penal Code of 2017, which addresses theft and related crimes in the state.
