21-yr-old cobbler jailed 1 year for stealing phone, wristwatches

AN Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a 21-year-old cobbler, Olamide Oluwole, to one-year imprisonment for stealing a phone and six wristwatches valued at N83,000.

Magistrate Mrs O.O. Fagbohun sentenced the defendant who pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of intent to commit felony and stealing.

Fagbohun sentenced the defendant to one year in jail with hard labour. she did not give him an option of fine.

“You are hereby sentenced to one-year imprisonment with hard labour and no option of fine.

“The sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who might want to engage in similar acts,” she said.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oluwole pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of intent to commit felony and stealing during an arraignment on Sept.10 and was remanded in prison.

When the case was called up on Wednesday for review of facts and sentencing Oluwole still admitted guilt and the magistrate consequently convicted and sentenced him.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Emmanuel Ajayi had told the court that the defendant, a resident of Lagos Island, committed the offences at Ogba, Lagos on Sept. 5.

He said that the defendant unlawfully entered the shop of one Mrs Nana Ibrahim and stole six wristwatches valued at N48,000 and a phone valued at N35,000, all totalling N83,000.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant locked her shop to go and get something in the market when the defendant entered the shop and took the items.

“But luck was against him as the complainant returned and discovered that her padlock had been tampered with.

“She opened her shop and saw the defendant in the act and she raised an alarm following which “neighbours rushed to the scene and he was apprehended.”

“A search on the defendant revealed the missing items inside his boxer (pants) and he was handed over to the police,” the prosecutor said.

The alleged offences violate Sections 287 and 308(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

NAN