A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Friday, sentenced a 23-year old man, Emmanuel Chukwu, to four months imprisonment for stealing a mattress.
The Judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, however, gave the convict an option to pay N10, 000 as fine.and said that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others who might want to steal.
Chukwu, who resides at Mamasa Estate Galadima Gwarimpa, Abuja, was convicted on a count charge of theft.
The convict had pleaded guilty to the offence and begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Zannan Dalhatu, had told the court that a neighbor to the accused, John Nwaru, reported the matter at the Gwarimpa Police Station, on April 21.
Dalhatu told the court that the accused stole the 10-inch mattress belonging to the complainant.
He said the offense contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.