An Omu-Aran Area Court in Kwara has sentenced a couple to six and a half years imprisonment for breaking into a house at night and stealing a bag of rice and other valuables worth N49,000.

Samson Sunday, 26, and his wife, Nike, 20, who live at No. 5, Otuyo Compound, Omu-Aran, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, housebreaking and theft. The husband and wife were given six months each for conspiracy and three years each on second and third charges.

The judge, Adebola Banigbe, however, gave the couple an option of N2, 000 fine each on count one and N4,000 fine each on the second and third count charges. He slammed them for being bad examples for the younger ones.

"You (couple) are a bad example to others and I hope your conviction today will serve as a warning and lesson to other would-be offenders." The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the couple had at their arraignment on April 18 pleaded guilty to the charges.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt Adeboye Adeola, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 5 at about 4.00 a.m. when they broke into two houses in Omu-Aran and carted away some valuables.

Adeola said the items recovered from the couple and tendered as exhibits in court included a bag of rice, assorted soap, pairs of women shoes, toothpaste, a TV set and a DVD player.

According to him, Samson was apprehended at Omupo community by vigilantes operating under the banner of Omu-Aran Youth Forum following a tip-off. The offences contravened Sections 97, 287 and 355 of the Penal Code, Laws of the Federation.