A 25-year-old storekeeper, Abubakar Hussaini, who was on Tuesday sentenced to 12 months imprisonment by a Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, said he burnt his boss’s credentials for his failure to increase his salary‎.

Hussaini said the complainant, Mr Jack Jiang, a Chinese, promised to increase his salary but failed to do so.‎

‎Hussaini who pleaded guilty to charges of criminal trespass, mischief by fire and theft, begged the court for leniency.

The judge, Abdulwahab Mohammed, however, sentenced Hussaini to 12 months imprisonment but gave him N20,000 option of fine.

He also warned Hussaini to be of good behaviour and to also desist from committing the crime.

The prosecutor, John Okpa, had told the court that Jiang reported the matter at the Area Command, Life Camp, Abuja on Aug. 26.

He said that Hussaini criminally trespassed into the complainant’s house and stole a travelling bag containing five wristwatches, two bangles, four T-shirts and credentials.

Okpa said that all the said items were valued at N1.5 million.

The prosecutor said that four wristwatches, two bangles, two T-shirts and the travelling bag were recovered from Hussaini during police investigations.

He further said that Hussaini burnt the complainant’s credentials, adding that the offences contravened Sections 348, 336 and 288 of the Penal Code.