Student to die by hanging for stealing mobile phone & recharge cards

According to a report by Thisday, a High Court in
Effurun, Delta State, has sentenced a 24-year-old
secondary school student, Moses Akatugba, to death
by hanging for stealing mobile phones and recharge
cards. Read the report below and tell us if you think
the sentence is appropriate or too harsh
"Akatugba was convicted on a two-count
charge of conspiracy and armed robbery in
contravention of Section 6 (b) and punishable
under section 1 (2) (a) of the Robbery and
Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11
Volume 14 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,
2004.
The prosecution told the court that the convict
with others now at large "robbed one Mrs.
Akpor Mazino of the sum of N113,930, three
phone handsets, 54 various denominations of
MTN recharge vouchers, 28 Airtel vouchers
and 25 Glo vouchers valued at over N100,000
at No. 30 NNPC Housing Complex Road,

Ekpan."
The victim in her evidence gave a vivid account of
how she was robbed of the items at her shop at
gunpoint.
An Asaba High Court also yesterday sentenced a 30-
year-old commercial motorcyclist, Paul Nwanegbo to
15 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbing
a female passenger of her telephone handset. The
incident, according to prosecution took place along
Direct Labour Agency Road, Asaba, on October 5, 2011
before the ban on operation of commercial
motorcyclists in Asaba metropolis and other
designated cities.
The female passenger, Amaka Okafor told the court
that on "realising the gun was a toy, I resisted him
but he overpowered me after biting me with his
teeth and snatched my phone from me."