By Sunmola Olowookere

A staff of General Hospital, Ikare Akoko, Azeez Musa, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for stealing the sum of seven million naira meant for the payment of the hospital’s staff salaries.
Upon his conviction, the young man was unmanned, as he threw himself against the floor of the dock and broke down weeping profusely while calling the name of the second defendant who was arraigned along with him in a lamenting voice, “Kamilu, ha! Kamilu”
Among the two defendants namely; Azeez Musa and Aminu Kamilu arraigned before an High Court judge, Justice Williams Olamide, only the first defendant was convicted while the second defendant was let off the hook due to lack of evidence linking him to the allegations preferred against them.
According to an information filed by the prosecution led by John Dada Joshua Esq, the second defendant was accused of obtaining the said sum being property of Ondo State from the first defendant under the false pretence that he would double the money.
However, the judge held that the nominal complainant never gave evidence during his testimony that the second defendant, Aminu Kamilu took part in the crime.
He further noted that although the convict claimed that he was hypnotized by the second defendant, there was no evidence establishing it.
He further observed that the receipt of car purchase tendered against the second defendant as evidence of what he used the proceed to buy was issued a year before the commission of the crime hence he was let off the hook.
The first defendant who was convicted was alleged of stealing the sum from a Zenith Bank account on March 17, 2017 and fraudulently converted it to his personal use.
In his judgement, the trial judge held that the counsel to the first defendant, A.O Salaudeen asked the court to consider whether the convict had plans to permanently convert the money.
In conclusion, the judge recalled that the hospital CMD, while giving evidence before the court hinted that the convict had never been a straightforward person and noted that the convict was of a shady character.
The second defendant was discharged and acquitted, while the first defendant was convicted as charged.
In an allocutus for his client, the defence counsel begged the court to temper justice with mercy, saying his client was a first offender with dependants.
He also informed the court that his client had paid one million naira out of the said sum to which the judge retorted that it was an admission of guilt.
Olamide, thereafter sentenced him to seven years imprisonment with hard labour.