A 21-year-old, Gbolahan Damilare, has been handed a six-month jail term by a Chief Magistrate Court in Mapo, Ibadan, for stealing a N50,000 power generating set.
Magistrate Mrs O.O. Latunji delivered the verdict on Wednesday after Damilare pleaded guilty, backed by a mountain of evidence from the prosecution.
Latunji noted that since the young man did not beat around the bush with the court and was a first-time offender, a lighter sentence was warranted. She, however, cautioned that harsher penalties would follow if Damilare failed to mend his ways after serving his time.
“To serve as deterrent to others, Damilare is sentenced to six months imprisonment or an option of N50,000,” the Magistrate declared.
According to the prosecution, led by Insp Oluseye Akinola, the offence occurred on Dec. 18 at No. 11 Adewumi Street, Felele, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Akinola revealed that Damilare was caught in the act after scaling a fence into the compound of Mr. and Mrs. Tosin Ojo to make off with their generator. The plot unraveled when Mrs. Ojo spotted him disconnecting the generator cable and raising alarm.
“The convict was nabbed thanks to vigilant neighbors who swooped in just in the nick of time,” Akinola added.
The offence violates Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State 2000.
