A judge of Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Nasarawa State, Mr Albert Maga, on Friday paid the N500 option fine he imposed on a convict.
Maga had sentence, Chita Ugochukwu, 20, to three months imprisonment for stealing 54 pieces of apples.
He, however, advised the convict to go back to his village rather than stealing since he had no job.
The convict of no fixed address was arraigned on a one-count charge of theft.
Maga held that the convict understood the charge read to him and pleaded guilty to the charge.
He held that the confession made by the convict at the `A’ Divisional Police Station, Nasarawa State, confirmed that he committed the offence as he equally pleaded for leniency.
“In passing sentence, I take into consideration the principles governing sentencing.
“Since you didn’t waste the time of the court by pleading guilty and asked for leniency, there must be a balanced justice while condemning the act.
“The accused, from all indication, appears to be a first time offender as no previous record of him is before the court and the complainant has forgiven him.
“I, hereby, sentence you to three months in prison with an option to pay fine of N500,’’ Maga held.
Earlier, the prosecuting officer, Cpl. Friday Adaji, had told the court that Ugochukwu stole the apples belonging to one Monday Ifeanyi, on June 27 at Mararaba.
Adaji said the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.





http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/judge-pays-fine-for-convict-he-jailed-for-theft/

For tribal bigots, the judge is an hausa man and the accused is from the east yet the judge did the needful. Do good to ALL men

“I, hereby, sentence you to three months in prison with an option to pay fine of N500,’’ Maga held.
And then the Maga judge now paid the N500 for the accused person

That Maga must be taken to Ekwulobia straight, Anambra prison

Maga had sentence, Chita Ugochukwu, 20, to three months imprisonment for stealing 54 pieces of apples.

@Emboldened it shall not be well with poverty.



I'm so pleased with the conduct of the Magistrate. May God Bless Him

I just hope the judge would complete his good deeds by giving the guy tfare to go back to his state, abi na person weh no get 500# to pay for bail go see money travel go another state.

Isn't it funny that ifeanyi's apple was stolen by ugochukwu in nasarawa state. Ifeanyi wouldn't mind his brother ugochukwu spending 3month holiday in Nigeria prisons for stealing 54 apples.....yet an hausa judge did the needful. I don't care to know if what the judge did was was constitutional or not. He just saved my brother. Let's stop the hate. Let's stop racism in Nigeria. Nigeria is one (at least for now)... let love rule

God bless the judge. The humanity in all of us should be at alert to show compassion to one another irrespective of race and tribe. This is the kind of message we should pass across to each other. This news should be pushed to frontage and if possible, should trend on tweeter. News that trend should not always be about the divisive radio Biafra or Lagos Lagoon threat every time.

The judge is a true nigerian.God bless u.

tobimillar:
Isn't it funny that ifeanyi's apple was stolen by ugochukwu in nasarawa state. Ifeanyi wouldn't mind his brother ugochukwu spending 3month holiday in Nigeria prisons for stealing 54 apples.....yet an hausa judge did the needful. I don't care to know if what the judge did was was constitutional or not. He just saved my brother. Let's stop the hate. Let's stop racism in Nigeria. Nigeria is one (at least for now)... let love rule

the report quoted the judge as saying that the complainant has forgiven the accused. I'm igbo and a pro biafran living in the north, i help all within my power and i don't see other tribes as my enemies yet that doesn't not mean i want to be in the same zoo of a country with the rest of them.

SUCH A FOOL.