24 yr-old ex-convict sent to prison again for stealing clothes

A 24-year-old ex-convict, Opayemi Abel has been sentenced to prison again by a Modakeke-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun State for stealing a pair of jeans and a shirt on Friday, June 28, 2019.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Magistrate, Mrs Abimbola Famuyide, sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to two counts of breaking-and-entering and theft.

Opeyemi was said to have pleaded guilty to the charges and asked for leniency, but the judge sentenced him without an option of fine.

While pronouncing the judgement, Famuyode said, “The facts presented to court by the prosecution, showed that the convict was an unrepentant criminal who does not deserve mercy.

“The court records also revealed that he had previously been convicted and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for motorcycle theft in 2017.

“The convict’s attitude shows that he was not ready to change, for his past criminal record confirmed that he had been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment over motorcycle theft in 2017.”

The magistrate added that “Since the sinner must not go unpunished, the sentence would serve as deterrent to other would-be offenders”.

According to the Prosecutor, Insp. Glory Ona, Opeyemi who resides at Modakeke, Ife East Area Local Government Council area of the state committed the offence on June 25, 2019, at about 1:00 a.m. at Boosa area, Modakeke-Ife.

Ona said that the convict broke into one Julius Olaboye’s apartment and stole a pair of jeans and shirt both valued N4,000, adding that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 383, 390 (9) and 411 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.