Some genes just won’t let you change your ways, or break free from bad habits that could see you spend a fortnight plus in a dilapidated jail cell with a bunch of psychopaths, stubborn mosquitoes and blood-sucking bedbugs.
A 29-year-old ex-convict, Mubarak Abdullahi will be spending five months behind bars for stealing a chicken, as ruled by a Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja. Abdullahi, from Angwan Hausawa Karmo, pleaded guilty to the three counts of being in possession of a chicken suspected to be stolen, idleness and constituting nuisance.
Judge, Mr. Inuwa Maiwada, who presided over the case, however gave the convict an option of N10, 000 fine, and warned him to be of good behaviour after he pleaded with the court saying, “Please sir, temper justice with mercy, times are hard, and no work in the country.”
Police Prosecutor Ijeoma Ukagha told the court that a team of vigilance group at Idu Gbagji, arrested and took Abdullahi to the Karmo Police Station on Monday as his offense contravened the provisions of sections 319, 406 and 199 of the Penal Code in Nigeria. The prosecutor also said that the convict has been prosecuted before for stealing a turkey.
Abdullahi the convict confessed to the crime and but in an investigation conducted by the police to find out where he stole the chicken were very futile.
Five months in prison is very reasonable and lenient. If Abdullahi was a Kenyan caught stealing a chicken, the case would take a twist. Chicken being a delicacy here, his angry mob would strip him naked and beat the nonsense out of his head. On the other hand, a court ruling would slap him with Ksh 20,000 fine or his arse would rot in jail for one and a half years in default of the fine if the law caught up with him fast enough.