A Magistrates Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, has sentenced two persons, Adegoke Akinleye and Adediran Adewole, to prison for stealing 404 pieces of catfish belonging to their boss, Ibukun Sanusi.
Justice O.O. Odumosu handed the sentence on Wednesday after the defendants, who are ex-workers on a farm located in Ilewo, Abeokuta, were arraigned on two counts of felony and stealing catfish valued at N606,000.
She sentenced both convicts to six months imprisonment each for the first count and one-year imprisonment each for the second count.
Odumosu however, granted an option of fine for the convicts to the tune of N10,000 each for each jail term provided they can pay back the N606,000 to the complainant.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the offences committed on January 24, 2023, contravened Sections 516(1) and 382(2) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State.
The charge read in part; “That you, Akinleye Adegoke, Adewole Adediran and others at large on January 24, 2023 at about 12noon at Abidelep Farm and Agro-Service Limited, Ilewo, Orile, Abeokuta in the magisterial district did conspire to commit felony and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 516(1) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun State.
“That you, Akinleye Adegoke, Adewole Adediran and others at large on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did steal 404 pieces of catfish valued at N606,000 property of one Mrs Sanusi Ibukun and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 382(2) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State.”
In related news…
An Area Court sitting in Jos, Plateau state, has sentenced one John Shedrack, to three months imprisonment for stealing 100 chickens.
The judge, Shawomi Bokkos convicted him on Wednesday, July 5 after he pleaded guilty to the theft of chickens valued at N300,000. Shedrack begged the court for leniency.
The prosecutor, Inspector Monday Dabit told the court that victim, Mr Ikechukwu Egwuonwu reported the case at the Rantya Police Station on 19th of June. He said the convict trespassed into the complainant’s poultry farm and stole his chickens.
Dabit further revealed that during the police investigation, Shedrack confessed to having committed the offence. According to him, the offence is in contravention of the Plateau State Penal Code law of Northern Nigeria.
Justice Bokkos gave the convict an option of a N20,000 fine or three months imprisonment. She also ordered the convict to pay a compensation of N300,000 to the complainant or be imprisoned for six months.
