By Editor

An Oredo Chief Magistrate’s Court in Benin has sentenced a 31-year-old man, Adamu Gaji, to three years in prison for stealing two cows‎. ‎Presiding Chief Magistrate, Awawu Osayande, sentenced Gaji after she found him guilty of the one-count charge of stealing brought against him.

The court, however, gave the convict an option of fine of N180,000. Earlier, the police prosecutor, ASP Patrick Agbonifo, told the court that the convict on June 10, 2019, at Amagbe community stole two cows valued at N700,000, property of Mr. Ogieriaki Omoruyi.

‎

He said Omoruyi had employed Gaji to take care of his cows, explaining that on a fateful day, Gaji took the cows to the bush and did not return with the two cows. The prosecutor added that the offence contravened the provision of Section 390(8 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap. 48 Vol. 11, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo‎ State.

Meanwhile, another Oredo Magistrate’s Court has also sentenced a 34-year-old man, Wisdom Sakpra, to one year in prison for stealing the sum of N110,000.

Presiding Magistrate Ivie Akere sentenced Sakpra after the convict had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing brought against him.

The court sentenced the convict to six months in each of the counts and declined to give him an option of fine to serve as a deterrent to others. ‎Police prosecutor, ASP Patrick Agbonifo, told the court that the convict was arrested at the scene of crime on January 23, 2020, at First Bank, Adesuwa Junction, Sapel Road in Benin.

‎He said the convict and others at large specialised in robbing customers that go to the bank for withdrawals, adding that the convict stole the total of N110,000, the property of Andrew Igbodidi. ‎The prosecutor further told the court that the convict also confessed that he had robbed another victim, Ehis Unemhin, close to UBA at Textile Mill Road, Benin and that he used handkerchief to clean the victim’s face.

He said after the convict had used the handkerchief to clean the victim’s face, the victim would obey all instructions and directives given by the convict. He added that his victim, Unemhin was invited by the police and he confirmed the convict’s statement.

‎According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened the provision of sections 516 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap. 48 Vol. 11, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, now applicable in Edo State.

In this article: