A Masaka Upper Area Court in Nasarawa State, on Thursday, sentenced a 38-year-old driver, Sylvester Tor, to 16 months imprisonment for alleged mischief.
Tor, a resident of Gidan Zakara Masaka, Nasarawa State, had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and mischief although, he begged for leniency.
The judge, Yakubu Ishaku, sentenced Tor to nine months imprisonment for breach of trust and seven months imprisonment for mischief.
Ishaku, however, gave him an option of N13,000 as fine; seven thousand for breach of trust and six thousand for mischief.
He said the sentences would run concurrently while the convict should pay the complainant N143, 000 for the amount misappropriated and N50,000 for expenses incurred during prosecution.
The judge also ordered the convict to pay the total amount of N193,000 within six weeks, warning that for any default, the convict would get additional six months imprisonment.
Ishaku warned him to desist from crime and urged him to be faithful in his business in the future.
The Police Prosecutor, Mr Frank Swem, had told the court that Peter Omoragie of Area 1 Masaka, Nasarawa State, reported the matter at the Divisional Police Station, Masaka, on July 20.
Swem said that on June 8, the complainant entrusted his car to the convict for commercial purpose and agreed to be remitting N21,000 weekly.
He told the court that the convict made use of the car for seven weeks, which amounted to N143,000 and refused to remit the stated sum as promised.
Swem stated that the convict converted the money to his personal use.
The prosecutor said that Tor absconded to an unknown destination until he was arrested on June 20.
Swem said the offence contravened Sections 312 and 327 of the Penal Code. (NAN)