NAN-H-29
Motorcyclist
By Shittu Adebisi Fatima
Ibadan, Oct. 11, 2017 (NAN) A 35-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Moruf Raji, is to spend the next three years in jail for breaking into shops and stealing provisions and some bottles of wine, an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan ruled on Wednesday.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs I. O. Omotosho, who handed down the verdict, said Raji was found guilty of the five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, break-in and stealing preferred against him.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Raji has been in prison since his arraignment on June 9.
He had changed his `not guilty’ plea to a plea of guilty.
Consequently, Omotosho sentenced him to three years imprisonment on count one which he would serve at Agodi Prisons in Ibadan but with an option of N20,000 fine.
The magistrate also sentenced Raji on count two (housebreaking and entering a shop) to 18 months but also with an option of N20,000 fine.
For offence of stealing, he was given three years imprisonment and an option of N50,000 fine.
Raji was also sentenced to 18 months for breaking into another shop with an option of N20,000 fine.
On the fifth count of stealing, Raji also bagged three years with an option of N50,000 fine.
Omotosho said the sentences should run concurrently with the convict spending only three years.
He added that the cumulative fines stays.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Olalekan Adegbite, told the court that Raji committed the offences on June 6 at 3.50 a.m. at Idi- Ose, Olode junction in Moniya area of Ibadan.
He said that the accused with others now at large broke into two shops in the area and stole provisions and bottles of wine belonging to Mrs Folake Adeniji and Mrs Folasade Obaromi. (NAN)
SAF/AOS/DA
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Dele Akinsola