NAN-H-64
Imprisonment
By Tomisin Erogbogbo
Lagos, Oct. 19, 2017 (NAN) A Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday, sentenced a car thief, Mathias Isah, 28, to four years imprisonment with hard labour and without an option of fine.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp Nurudeen Thomas, told the court that the convict committed the offence on Nov. 25, 2015 at about 12:00 p.m. at the Marina car park, Lagos Island.
He said that Isah stole a Toyota Camry 2007 model with Registration No. AAA 146 AP, valued three million naira, belonging to one Mrs Olatunde Ibikunle.
“Isah, on the said date, stood beside the security guard at the park, posing to be one of them.
“He asked the complainant for her car key to help her park her car but she refused to give him because he was not wearing a guard’s uniform.
“He later approached the security guard and said he was the complainant’s driver and asked him to bring the car and he gave the security guard N500 parking fee to convince him.
“The security guard, who had earlier seen him and the complainant together having a hard conversation thought they came together and gave him the key,” he said.
Thomas said that the convict was later arrested in Kogi, where he used the car to hit a motorcyclist.
“It was during investigation that the police in Kogi gathered that he stole the vehicle from Lagos.
” My lord, Isah is a habitual criminal, who is also facing another charge of auto theft at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court,,” he said.
Thomas said that the offence contravened Section 285 (10) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The convict, who is facing a charge of auto theft, had earlier pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by the court.
Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye in her ruling, said “with all the evidence before the court, you have been found guilty;
“You are hereby sentenced to four years imprisonment with hard labour and without an option of fine”. (NAN)
TME/JPE/YEMI
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Yemi Idris-Aduloju