A Makurdi Chief Magistrates’ Court presided over by Mrs Regina Alashi on Monday, 19 January, 2026 ordered a 20-year old farmer, Samuel Ortega to sweep the court premises for three month for attempting to steal armoured cables, reports thegazellenews.com
Ortega who lives opposite the Nigerian Air force Base, Makurdi was earlier charged with criminal conspiracy, attempted theft and mischief.
Police Prosecutor, James Kuegh, informed the court that on July 11, 2025, the convict and one Michael (surname unknown) trespassed into the premises of the Nigerian Air Force Base, Makurdi and attempted to steal armoured cables.
According to Kuegh, the Air Force officers arrested the convict and rushed him to Benue University Teaching Hospital for treatment following gunshot wounds he sustained but he escaped from admission on July 18, 2025.
The prosecutor, who told the court that the convict was rearrested on Monday, 12 January, 2026 by Air Force officers who had been searching for him, said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97, 353, 289 and 398 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004.
When the charged was read to Ortga, he pleaded guilty to the charge and begged for forgiveness with a promise not to engage in criminal acts again.
In her judgment, Magistrate Alashi advised youths in the state to shun crimes and engage in useful ventures, just as she also added that she would temper justice with mercy because of the convict’s sincerity in admitting to his offence.
The judge therefore, ordered that the convict would be cleaning the premises of the Chief Magistrates’ Court I on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30 am to 11 am for three months.
