A Wuse Zone 6 Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, sentenced a security guard, Anthony Meshack, to six months imprisonment for joint act and negligent conduct.

The police charged Meshack, 27, who resides at Mabushi Village, Abuja, with  joint act and negligent conduct.

Magistrate, Njideka Iheme-Nwosu, sentenced him after he pleaded guilty to the charge

Iheme-Nwosu however gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N50,000 and N5,000 as compensation to the complainant.

Iheme-Nwosu said the convict was given the “light sentence” because  she took into account the fact that the he  was a first time offender, who had no prior record of conviction

The convict said his only offence was for not reporting those who stole the armoured cable and for receiving N5,000 as his share from the proceeds of the sale of the said cable.

In a twist of events, Iheme-Nwosu fixed March 2 for hearing in a new charge of theft filed against the convict.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Peter Ejike, had informed the court that on Jan. 25, 2019 one Danladi Jonathan of Hint Security Service, Lungi Barracks, Abuja, reported the matter at the Wuse Zone 3 Police Station.

Ejike told the court that the convict, who was employed by  the aforementioned security company as a security guard and seconded to Wetland Plaza, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, while on duty on the same date connived with two other staff of the Plaza currently at large.

The prosecutor further said the three stole armoured cable valued at N5. 7 million that belonged to one Chimezie Onwukunja, a shop owner at the plaza, and absconded.

Ejike said it was during police investigation that Meshack was finally apprehended on Jan. 17.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79, 196 and 287 of the Penal Code.