A Kaduna Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ordered that a 19-year-old teenager Clement Baba, be given 15 strokes of the cane for stealing car battery.

Delivering judgment, the Magistrate, Ibrahim Emmanuel, gave the order after Baba had pleaded guilty and had asked the court for leniency.

Emmanuel said that the punishment would have been stiff if Baba had not saved the court the rigour of protracted prosecution.

He warned him to desist from committing crimes as the court would not be lenient with him next time.

The magistrate also gave him a strong warning to be of good behaviour before his parents and the society.

Earlier, the Prosecution, Chidi Leo, had told the court that the complainant, Sarah Madaki of Narayi High Cost Kaduna, had reported the matter at the Barnawa Police Station on Aug. 3.

Leo said that the convict usually come to the complainant’s house to do some menial job for her even when she is not at home.

He said on the said date, while the complainant was at work, she called the convict to go the house and wash her husband’s car but in the process he removed the car battery.

Leo said when he was about leaving her daughter caught him.

He said the offence contravened the provision of Section 217 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.

The convict who broke down in tears told the court “I am very sorry sir and I promise I will not do it again,”