Kaduna Magistrate Jails Man 18 Months Over Girlfriend's Missing Valuables

A Kaduna magistrates’ court has handed an eighteen-month prison sentence to a thirty-two-year-old man, Kenneth James, for the theft of jewellery valued at N860,000 belonging to his girlfriend.

Magistrate Ibrahim Emmanuel delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 14. James had entered a guilty plea to a single charge of stealing.

The court’s ruling included an option for James to pay a N50,000 fine instead of serving the prison term. Furthermore, Magistrate Emmanuel mandated that James must reimburse the sum of N860,000 to the complainant, Miss Vivian Gideon. Failure to refund this amount would result in an additional ten months’ imprisonment for the convict.

Before concluding the proceedings, the magistrate issued a stern caution to James against engaging in any further criminal activities after completing his sentence.

Earlier in the trial, prosecution counsel, Inspector Chidi Leo, informed the court that the case was initially reported at the Gabasawa Police Station on October 5, 2026. Inspector Leo detailed that James, who was in a relationship with Miss Gideon, had stolen her gold earrings and necklace while she was away on a trip. During police investigations, the convict reportedly confessed to selling the stolen items.

The prosecution further stated that the offence committed by Kenneth James contravened provisions of the Kaduna State Penal Code, 2017.