By Ayodele Popoola
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A 13-year-old scavenger, Opeyemi Oluwaseun, has been sentenced to three months imprisonment to a correctional centre by an Akure Magistrate’s Court, for stealing church property.
Oluwaseun, who claimed to be a resident of Shasha area was charged by the police with two counts of stealing and burglary.
The Magistrate, N. T Aladejana, convicted the defendant who pleaded guilty to both charges slammed against him.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Suliaman Abdulateef, told the court that the convict committed the offence on March 26, at about 3:30 p.m. at Christ Apostolic church, Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government.
Abdulateef said the convict stole three handbells, eight pieces of lamp holders, bulbs and socket, one drum set, and one iron rod, all valued at 272,000, property of the church belonging to one Pastor Emmanuel Olusola.
The convict was alleged to have willingly damaged the church speakers valued at N150,000.
The prosecutor also informed the court that the suspect was apprehended immediately after committing the crime and all the items were recovered from him.
He said the offence contravenes Section 451 of the Criminal laws of Ondo State, 2016
Aladejana sentenced the defendant to three months at the correctional centre without an option of fine.
Also on Thursday, an Area Court in Abuja, sentenced a scavenger, Sulieman Abubakar, to 21 months imprisonment for stealing an Mp3 speaker worth N5,000.
The police charged Abubakar, 28, with criminal trespass, housebreaking and theft.
Delivering the judgment, the Area Court Judge, Saminu Suleiman, handed the sentence, but gave the convict an option of a N30,000 fine.
The convict had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.
The prosecutor, Olanipekun Babajide, told the court that on February 5, the complainant, Abdulrahman Myheiminu of Dawaki, Abuja, reported the matter at the Zuba police station.
Babajide said the convict trespassed into the complainant’s house and broke his window worth N80,000.
He said that during the police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement, admitting to the crime.
Babajide told the court that the convict was not a first-time offender.
He said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 348, 346 and 288 of the Penal Code.
