Lagos Police Reveal Punishment For Buying Stolen Phone

The Lagos State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Bala Elkana, has revealed the punishment that will probably be meted to whoever buys a stolen cellphone in Lagos.

Whereas enlighten Nigerians on the results of shopping for a stolen cellphone, Bala mentioned the minimal sentencing for offenders is 7 years and the client will get extra jail years than the thief.

In response to him,

“Below our legal guidelines, it’s fairly a severe offence for one to purchase stolen telephones. The regulation even regards the client to be extra culpable than even the thief. The punishment is extra for the client than the thief. The knowledge behind that’s to discourage folks from stealing as a result of if there isn’t any market the place they might promote these stolen issues, they might not steal them however as a result of they’ve a prepared market, they simply steal.

“That is why the regulation makes the punishment stiffer for the client. The one who steals could get three years punishment, whereas the client may get seven years imprisonment and on the finish, he’ll lose the property as soon as we hint it to him. For an individual to keep away from shopping for stolen property, it’s advisable that he buys issues within the open market and never on the road or people who find themselves simply passing and never dealing in such wares.”

Explaining how a case of buying stolen telephones could be checked, Elkana mentioned:

“Crucial factor after we cost a purchaser to courtroom is to take a look at whether or not he has information that that factor he purchased was a stolen property. How can we take a look at the information? What’s the market worth and the way a lot did he purchase it? If the market worth is N100 and you purchase it N10, routinely, you’ll know that you’re shopping for a stolen property.

Secondly, we might examine the place he purchased it. Was it in an everyday market the place such gadgets are offered or he simply purchased it on the street from anyone?

“That’s sufficient for him to know that he’s not shopping for one thing that’s real. Thirdly, we might examine the time of the day that he purchased the cellphone. These are essential issues we have a look at after we are investigating to examine whether or not the particular person has information that the cellphone was stolen or not.”