A Chief Magistrate Court in Kosubosu, Kwara, on Thursday sentenced three herdsmen to six months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing cattle.

The Chief Magistrate, Malam Azeez Gambari, who handed down the sentence, however, gave each of them an option of N5,000 fine.

The convicts are Adamu Abubakar, Umar Jabi and Manu Umar.

The three men were convicted after they had separately pleaded guilty to a two court charge of criminal conspiracy and theft contrary to sections 287 and 97 of the Penal Code.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Eze Augustine, had told the court that the convicts conspired and went to one Bio Fulani camp via Yashikira by 8p.m. on May 12 and stole two cattle valued N230,000.

They pleaded for leniency from the court, saying that such would not repeat itself.

The prosecution urged the court to summarily try them pursuant to Section 159 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code since they had all pleaded guilty to the charges.

Augustine said the three were habitual criminals and that their antecedents were noted by the police.