A 32-year-old man, Ayo Adeleke, was on Friday handed a six-month jail term by the Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan for burglary and the theft of two phones worth a total of N1.1 million.
Adeleke, who faced charges of burglary and stealing, had pleaded guilty to the offences.
Upon his plea, Magistrate Mr. M. Mudashiru found him guilty as charged and convicted him. He was sentenced to serve six months at the Agodi Correctional Centre in Ibadan.
The court, however, offered an alternative: the convict could perform three months of community service provided one of his parents stands as surety.
Prosecutor ASP Tunji Olaniyi told the court that the crime occurred on Feb. 16 around 5 a.m. “The convict had broken the window of a house behind Red Roof Hotel, Tollgate, Ibadan, and had stolen an iPhone 15 Pro valued one million naira,” he said.
Olaniyi added that Adeleke also took a Tecno Pop Android phone worth N160,000, both belonging to David Oriyomi, a student of Lead City University in Ibadan.
The prosecutor explained that Adeleke, who was riding a tricycle, was apprehended during a police stop-and-search. “The convict failed to explain how he had both phones in his possession, and was consequently arrested,” Olaniyi said.
The offence violates section 390 of the Criminal Law of Oyo State 2000. Before sentencing, Adeleke pleaded for leniency, urging the court to “temper justice with mercy.”
