By Bamidele Kolawole

A 21-year-old apprentice, James Nathaniel, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment by an Osi Chief Magistrate Court, for stealing two itel phones worth N150,000.

The convict was earlier charged with two counts of stealing.

Going through the facts of the matter, the Magistrate, Mrs Bukola Ojo, sentenced the convict to two years imprisonment after she found him guilty of the charges against him.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Ajiboye Babatunde, while reading the facts of the case, said the convict, on January 6, 2024, at about 1:00am at Oba-Ile housing Estate, in the Osi Magisterial District, entered into the dwelling house of one Bamidele Adetuji and stole two itel phones valued at N150,000.

But the convict, when arrested, could not give satisfactory account of how he came about it to the police.

Babatunde said the offence contravened Sections 412 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria 2006.

To prove his case, the prosecutor called three witnesses to testify in court.

He, therefore prayed the court to punish the defendant accordingly, so as to serve as a deterrent to others who might be involved in similar act.

The convict pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him, while his counsel, F.I Uzonna, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

In her judgement, Ojo sentenced the convict to an imprisonment for a period of 1 year on Count 1 with an option N20,000 fine.

On count 2, the magistrate sentenced the convict to imprisonment for a period of 1 year with an option of N50,000 fine.