Man: Why I stole Orijin Bitters, Gordon’s drinks in Abuja garden

A man, Obinna Madu, has disclosed that he stole Orijin Bitters and Gordon’s alcoholic beverages due to a delay in his salary payment.

Madu disclosed this while appearing before the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja, on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

The police charged Madu with criminal breach of trust and theft by servant, which he pleaded guilty to.

Madu said: “I have worked in Garden 22, Garki, Abuja for one month and two weeks, but have not been paid my salary.

“I bought a phone at ‘Easybuy Shop, Abuja’ for N150,000 to pay installmentally and had a deadline to complete the payment on August 29.

“I asked for my salary but was told that there was no money, that was why I stole 11 bottles of Orijin Bitters, two bottles of Gordon’s, and one bottle of Smirnoff X1.

“Please have mercy on me, I promise never to repeat it again.”

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The Magistrate, Umar Dodo, sentenced Madu to clean the court’s premises for one hour and ordered that the cellphone he bought from Easybuy be seized from him until Friday, September 5.

Dodo said the sentencing would serve as a deterrent to other offenders and warned Madu to desist from committing crimes and be of good behaviour.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Chinenye Okafor, told the court that the complainant and manager of the garden, Samuel Okoronkwo, reported the matter at Garki Police Station.

Okafor said Madu stole 11 bottles of Orijin Bitters, two bottles of Gordon’s, and one bottle of Smirnoff X1 alcoholic drinks valued N36,500 on the said date.

Okafor added that the drinks were recovered from Madu during police investigations.

The offence, she said, contravened the provisions of sections 312 and 289 of the Penal Code.

The Star