Abeokuta Chief Magistrates' Court on Tuesday sentenced a 19-year-old man, Chukwade Nnerom, to three years imprisonment for stealing, conspiracy and unlawful possession.
In his judgment, Chief Magistrate Adesegun Adenariwo sentenced the accused person to one year jail term on count one and two respectively with an option of N10, 000 fines on each count.
He also sentenced the convict to one-year jail term on count three but without an option of fine, and added that the jail term would run concurrently for each of the three count charge.
Adenariwo said, "The court has no choice, but to exercise the powers of the law.
"This should serve as deterrent to others out there who are also involved in this heinous and callous act, that the law will soon catch up with them."
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Augustine Ozimini, had told the court that the accused person conspired with one other person now at large to commit the offences on March 12, at about 3 p.m.
"The accused person with his co-conspirator wrapped a rubber slippers pierced with four big nails in a polythene bag and carefully placed it under the tyre of a vehicle belonging to Michael Kogi, a policeman.
"They monitored him as he went into a commercial bank to make some withdrawal; he moved for a while and discovered that his tyre had been punctured.
"As he was struggling to remove the tyre in order to fix it, Nnerom and his conspirator went with a motorbike and took away N278,000 and other valuables from the car.
Ozimini presented the money, a locally made master-key and other items recovered from the convict as exhibits before the court.
He said that the victim being a policeman alerted his colleagues on patrol about the incident.
He also tendered a confessional statement made by Nnerom to the court as another exhibit.
The prosecutor further told the court that police attached to Ibara Police Station went after the gang and was able to arrest Nnerom, while the bike rider escaped.
He said that the offences were contrary to and punishable under Sections 390 (9) 430 (1-2) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws Vol. 1 of Ogun, 2006.
Nnerom, who was not represented by counsel, pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and unlawful possession of the items.
While pleading for clemency, he said, "The other guy came to pick me in Imo and said that we can make a lot of money in Abeokuta.
"I have no parents or relatives here, please help me I beg you to have mercy on me, I will never go back to crime again in my life."
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ReplyDeleteThat is high level crime. He should have been given more years in jail so that he can work for money from the jail. I wonder what he will become in the next 10yrs if he can be that crafty at the age of 19yrs.
ReplyDeleteits easy to mete justice to the poor, what about the rich that have been stealing billions? what has been done to them. useless judges
ReplyDelete