The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Man jailed

  • Man jailed three months for theft

    An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday sentenced a 28-year-old man, Bidemi Eweje to three months imprisonment for stealing a handbag and sum of N227,300 property of Fumilayo Ajisafe.

    Eweje was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Y. O Aje-Afunwa on a two-count of conspiracy and stealing.

    Police prosecutor, Inspector Peter Nwangwu told the court that the convict committed the offence on March 22, at 4.50pm along Airport Road, Lagos.

    Nwangwu told the court that the convict stole one brown handbag containing two black purse and N277,300 cash belonging to Ajisafe.

    Eweje pleaded guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Aje-Afunwa sentenced him to three months imprisonment with hard labour.

    She said the sentence would serve as deterrence to others who might want to behave in similar way.

     

  • Man jailed six months for trespass

    A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in Abuja has sentenced Stanley Chibike to six months’ imprisonment for criminal trespass and attempt to commit theft.

    Chibike, who lives at Jabi, Abuja, pleaded guilty.

    He, however, appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy and promised to be of good behaviour.

    Convicting the accused, the judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadi, handed six-month jail term to him, but with an option to pay fine of N10, 000.

    He said the sentence would act as a deterrent to others.

    The prosecutor, Mr. Zannan Dalhatu, had told the court that Abdullahi Usman of Utako, Abuja, reported the matter at Utako Police Station on March 17.

    He said on the same date, the convict formed criminal intention, trespassed into a compound and attempted opening the complainant’s door, but was caught by the security guard.

    Dalhatu said during police investigation, the convict confessed to the crime.

    He told the court that the offences contravened sections 348 and 95 of the Penal Code.

     

     

  • Man jailed two years for stealing phones

    Man jailed two years for stealing phones

    A 23-year-old man, Femi Fayemi, is to spend two years in prison for stealing phones in a church, valued at N150,000.

    An Ota Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State yesterday sentenced Fayemi of no fixed address after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of stealing and burglary.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. B. B. Adebowale, convicted the man without an option of fine, saying his action was contrary to sections 415 and 516 of the Criminal Law of Ogun State, 2006.

    The prosecutor, Abdulkareem Mustapha, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on February 19 about 3:30 am at Celestial Church of Christ, Joju, Ota.

    He said the defendant broke into the church to steal phones valued at N150,000, belonging to members.

     

  • Man jailed for N30,000 fraud

    Man jailed for N30,000 fraud

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a man, Valentine Thomas, to one year imprisonment for defrauding an Uber taxi driver of N30,000.

    Magistrate A. A. Adetunji, however, gave the convict an option of returning the cash and spending nine months in prison.

    Thomas, 28, was arraigned last November 30 on a single count of theft contrary to Section 313 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    He pleaded not guilty and was convicted after seven months of trial.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Friday Mameh told the court that Thomas, last November 28 at about 1:17pm, hired an Uber cab at Lekki to take him around Eti-Osa Local Government Area.

    They agreed on a fee of N30,000 for the ride between 1:17pm and midnight.

    Thomas, Mameh said, told the driver, Adeboye Mayowa, that he was a South Africa returnee and was looking for a hotel to lodge.

    On the way, he ordered the driver to stop at a hotel at Oniru and ordered for food at the restaurant.

    He also invited two girls to join him, but failed to pay for the meals.

    According to Mameh, when Mayowa demanded his fare, Thomas said he would pay as soon as he converted the $500 in his possession to naira.

    But the driver insisted on his money and drove him to Eko Hotel, on Victoria Island so he could convert the dollars.

    When Thomas failed to do so, the driver sensed that there were no dollars and reported the matter at the Maroko Police Station, Victoria Island.

    Mameh said the police found that Thomas, from Benue State, had no money on him and could not prove that he ever visited South Africa.

  • Man jailed three years for $3,650 fraud

    Man jailed three years for $3,650 fraud

    An Ikeja High Court yesterday sentenced a middle aged man, UwalaIkechukwu Brown, to three years imprisonment for fraud.

    Justice Josephine Oyefeso found Brown guilty of an amended one count charge obtaining money under false pretence from Thomas Nublin.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its prosecutor, Mrs V.O. Aigboje arraigned Brown in March  n a one-count chargeof obtaining $3,650 from Nublin contrary to Section 312 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    She said the offence was committed in Ikeja between August 22 and November 23, 2013.

    Yesterday, the prosecutor told Justice Oyefeso that the convict had entered into plea bargain and refunded the money he got from his victim.

    His counsel, Uche Chikelue, pleaded for mercy, describing his client as a first offender. But Justice Oyefeso held that Brown could not escape justice because he has entered into plea bargain.

    “I have considered the allocutus for mercy by defence counsel, the fact that he is well behaved, that he cooperated with the EFCC during investigation, that he is remorseful and has refunded  $3,650 to his victim. I also considered that he has saved the precious time of the judiciary by entering into plea bargain”, the judge said.

    She held that the convict painted the nation in bad light, saying: “Justice must, therefore, be seen to have been done for the victim, justice for the defence and justice for the society. Although the Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 prescribes 15 years for the offence of obtaining money by false pretence, I sentenced the defendant to three years imprisonment”.

  • Man jailed one year for N10,000 theft

    Man jailed one year for N10,000 theft

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, has sentenced an unemployed man, Oluwafemi Daisi, to one year imprisonment for stealing N10,000 from a Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) officer.
    Magistrate A. T. Omoyele gave the verdict following Daisi’s plea of guilt to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
    She sentenced Daisi, 35, without an option of fine.
    The convict was arraigned on April 5 alongside one Tijani Yussuf, 33, who pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
    Prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji said the duo and others at large committed the offence on April 3, at about 10:00pm at the Adeniji Adele area of Lagos.
    Osuji said they stole N10,000 from the complainant, Mr Peter Obauwama of Nigeria Prison Service, Alagbon, Ikoyi Lagos.
    He said Obauwama’s car broke down on the road and the defendant and his accomplices came and pretended to help but searched his car and stole the said money.
    The offence, the prosecutor added, contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
    Yussuf was admitted to N50,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.
    Magistrate Omoyele adjourned his case till May 4.

  • Man jailed for drug possession

    Man jailed for drug possession

    Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 45-year-old man, Gilbert Chibuzor, to six years imprisonment with hard labour for possession of hard drug.
    National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) prosecutor Charles Ugwuja told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 19, 2015 at Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti East Local Government Area.
    He said the accused without authority possessed 5.7 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, a narcotic drug similar to cocaine and heroin.
    The prosecutor called four witnesses and the defence counsel, Ayodele Oguntuase, called two.
    Justice Donatus Okorowo, said that the prosecution had proved his case beyond reasonable doubt.
    He sentenced the accused to six years imprisonment with hard labour and no option of fine.

  • Man jailed for drug possession

    A Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti yesterday slammed a one-year prison sentence on a man, Michael Joel, for illegal possession of Cannabis sativa, otherwise known as Indian hemp.
    Joel, 25, was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after his arrest on September 15 at Atikankan in Ado-Ekiti.
    NDLEA Prosecutor Collins Ugwuja told the court that the accused was caught with 500 grammes of Cannabis sativa at the point of arrest.
    The accused made a confessional statement, urging the court to be merciful.
    Justice Taiwo Taiwo decried the way and manner youths take illicit drugs.
    He sentenced the accused to one year imprisonment without an option of fine.

  • Man jailed for raping woman, 80

    Man jailed for raping woman, 80

    AN Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 45-year-old commercial driver, Lawrence Adedapo, to seven years imprisonment for raping an 80-year-old woman, Mrs. Grace Asaolu.
    Justice Bamidele Omotoso held that evidence showed that the driver forcefully had carnal knowledge of the old woman and was guilty as charged.
    Besides the confessional statement of the convict and the victim, the prosecution also tendered Mrs. Asaolu’s blood-stained clothes in proving its case.
    The convict, who plied his trade in Otun-Ekiti, sexually assaulted the octogenarian on November 7, 2013 at Oke Erimope Street, Ogbese via Ise-Ekiti and was charged to court.
    Adedapo pleaded not and gave evidence in his own defence but called no witness.
    In his testimony, he described the old woman as his “mother as well as his concubine”, who he had been dating as far back as his bachelor years. He claimed Mrs. Asaolu framed him.
    Adedapo said the victim had approached him for money to travel to her village but on that date, she walked into his room and demanded for the money.
    The driver claimed that she started romancing him, which eventually led to intercourse after which he gave her N1,000.
    The prosecution, led by Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Owoseni Ajayi, gave evidence that the convict confessed to have been dating the woman before the incident and that she consented to the intercourse.
    Ajayi tendered the blood-stained clothes of the victim which was recovered from the scene of the incident.
    Among issues for determination raised for determination by the court include whether upon the totality of evidence before it, the prosecution proved the offence of rape against the defendant as required by law to warrant conviction.
    And whether the convict can be let off the hook by his claim that the sexual intercourse occurred because they were lovers.
    Justice Omotoso resolved the issues against Adedapo and sentenced him to a jail term of seven years.

  • Man jailed 20 years for cocaine trafficking

    Man jailed 20 years for cocaine trafficking

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a man, Ifenna Emmanuel, to 20 years imprisonment for attempting to export 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine to China.

    Justice John Tsoho convicted him on a one-count charge filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The convict was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja (MMIA) on July 1, 2012, during outward clearance of passengers to China.

    He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on December 18, 2012, and was granted bail.

    However, he jumped bail, and failed to attend trial for about a year until he was re-arrested in Port Harcourt through the help of his brother who stood surety for him.

    His offence, according to NDLEA prosecutor Oigoga Ichakpa, violated Section 11 (b) of the NDLEA Act of 2004.

    Justice Tsoho ordered that the $1,000 recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government should there be no appeal against the judgment within 90 days.

    He further directed that Emmanuel’s passport be withdrawn, and that all drugs recovered from him must be destroyed if the judgment is not appealed against.

    Justice Tsoho faulted a medical report that was tendered by the defence counsel to show that the convict was seriously ill and was suffering from severe abdominal pain.

    According to the judge, he had ordered the prison authorities to produce a medical report on Emmanuel’s health condition in June, but the order was not obeyed.

    “The prison has not complied with that order as to the medical reports,” he said, adding that it was curious for the same prison to issue a medical report to the defence at the point of judgment.

    The judge said the fact that the convict jumped bail, and was paid in dollars for cocaine trafficking, showed that he deserved no mercy despite claims that he has “a long standing history of severe upper abdominal pain.”

    He, therefore, sentenced Emmanuel to 20 years jail term, which he said would take effect from the day he was re-arrested.

    The judgment is coming a day after a 38-year-old man, Chibueze Onedigbo, was jailed for 10 years for drug trafficking by Justice Musa Kurya of the same court.