A 26 -year-old man, Isah Mohammad has been sentenced
to two years imprisonment by an Ekiti State Magistrate Court sitting in Ado Ekiti for stealing iron rods.
Mohammad was arraigned before the court presided over by Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola on 19th August, 2024 on one-count charge bordering on stealing.
The convict was charged for stealing iron rods meant for construction of a house belonging to one Adejibola Ademola, valued at N200,000 on July 30, 2024 in Ado Ekiti.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes Section 302 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State 2021.
The site supervisor, Ezekiel Akinola, in his evidence before the court, said the house under construction, located along new Iyin Road had reached the lintel level.
Akinola added that the iron rods were kept to complete the lintel of the house but he discovered that they had been stolen when he went to the site on 8th August, 2024.
“However, the defendant and his friends had been troubling this community and also been giving us sleepless night”, he testified.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Adesegun who called four witnesses tendered the defendant’s statements, and presented the iron rods as exhibits to prove his case.
The convict who spoke through his counsel, Lanre Oluwasola, called no witness.
In his judgement, Magistrate Daramola held that the fact and circumstances of this case clearly pointed to the guilt of the defendant.
He declared that the evidence by the prosecution was adequate enough and implicated the defendant regarding the commission of the offences as charged against him.
“I therefore hold that the prosecution has proved the offence as charge against the defendant in the absence of any cogent and compelling defence from the defendant before this court.
“The issue for determination in this case is hereby resolved in favour of the prosecution as against the defendant.
“The defendant is hereby convicted as charged. He is accordingly sentenced to two years imprisonment with N5,000 option of fine in lieu of imprisonment. His sentence dates back to the day of his incarceration”, he pronounced.