An Area Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, on Monday, sentenced a 24-year-old mechanic, Gabriel Sunday, to six-month imprisonment for allegedly breaking into a shop and stealing trousers and other valuables.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos, who jailed Sunday after he confessed to the crime, however, gave him an option of N10, 000 fine.
Bokkos also ordered the convict to pay N54,000 as compensation to the complainant.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the judge said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to those who would want to indulge in such acts.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on May 16 at the Angl-Jos Police Station by one Charity Dalong, the complainant.
Gokwat said the convict, alongside his friend who is still at large, broke into the shop and stole trousers valued at N12,000 and kitchen utensils valued at N54,000.
He told the court that during a police investigation, the convict was found with the trousers, while his friend ran away with the kitchen utensil.
He said the offence contradicted the Penal Code Law of Plateau State.