A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kaduna, at the weekend, struck out a case of theft against a 29-year-old trader, Mary Joshua.
The trader, who lives in Kaduna, was charged with theft on July 2.
Magistrate Hajara Dauda struck out the case after the prosecution counsel, Inspector Sunday Baba, told the court that parties in the matter had agreed to settle out of court.
Dauda, therefore, discharged the trader.
“Based on the reconciliation made by the complainant and the defendant to settle out of court, the case is hereby struck out and the defendant discharged.
“The defendant should write an undertaking that she will not steal or commit any crime as the court won’t take it lightly with her,” Dauda said.
The prosecutor told the court that on June 24, at about 2:30 pm, Janet Moses of Sabo Tasha Kaduna lodged a complaint against the defendant at the Sabo Tasha Police Station.
Baba said on the same day, the defendant came into the complainant’s shop located at Sabo Tasha to get some change, but in the process stole her purse.
The prosecutor added that when the complainant raised the alarm, the defendant was searched and the said purse was found on her.
The offence, he said, contravened Section 270 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.
The defendant pleaded not guilty.