A 20-year-old man, Okanlawon Feranmi, who was sentenced to six months imprisonment for stealing a plasma television, told a Magistrates’ Court in Life Camp, Abuja, that the evil spirit pushed him into crime.
Feranmi who resides in Gwarinpa, Abuja pleaded guilty to one count of theft.
”I beg the court to temper justice with mercy. I am from Ondo state. I have evil spirits.
”The evil spirit pushed me to commit this crime. it is not by my own doing, please have mercy on me’.
In her ruling, the Judge, Magistrate Chinyere Nwecheonwe, who sentenced Feranmi, however, gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N5, 000 and advised him to seek help for his condition.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, ASP Peter Ejike, FCT command, told the court that Iorshachu Akaalon, who also lives in Gwarinpa Abuja, reported the case at Life Camp police station on Jan.31.
Ejike alleged at about 4 a.m., the convict broke into Belay Hotel in the bar section and removed a Samsung plasma television, 52 inches valued at N150, 000.
He said that the convict was apprehended by a local vigilante group and during police investigation, the plasma television was recovered from him.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 288 of the Penal Code (NAN).
