Man Bags 7 Years in Prison for Stealing Infinix Hot 8 Phone Valued at 64K: “He Was Armed with Knife”
- The Ekiti State High Court sentenced 26-year-old Omodara Dada to seven years in prison for burglary after stealing a ₦64,000 Infinix Hot 8 phone and ₦8,000 cash
- Justice Lekan Ogunmoye ruled the evidence was insufficient for armed robbery but proved burglary beyond a reasonable doubt
- Residents reacted to the judgment with mixed feelings, praising the justice served
The Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced 26-year-old Omodara Dada to seven years imprisonment for burglary.
The sentencing, delivered by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, followed Dada’s conviction for stealing a black Infinix Hot 8 phone valued at ₦64,000 and ₦8,000 cash while armed with a knife.
26-year-old man gets imprisoned for stealing phone
Photo credit: OriginalSource: Original
The incident occurred on February 13, 2022, at Ado Ekiti.
According to court documents, Dada was caught red-handed attempting to steal a plasma television from a hotel room, The Cable reported.
The victim, Fakiyesi Tope, a hotel manager, recounted his ordeal:
“I woke up to a noise and saw the defendant trying to remove my TV. When I tried to shout, he pulled out a knife and threatened to stab me. I later realized he had taken my phone and ₦8,000 cash.”
Prosecutor Albert Adeyemi presented a solid case, calling three witnesses and submitting critical evidence, including the stolen phone, knife, and cash.
The defendant, represented by his counsel, did not call witnesses but pleaded for leniency, The Punch reported.
Court reduces charge, delivers sentence
In his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye ruled that while the evidence was insufficient to sustain a charge of armed robbery under Section 312 (2) of the Ekiti State Criminal Law, it established burglary under Section 323.
“The evidence proves the lesser offence of burglary beyond reasonable doubt,” Justice Ogunmoye stated.
Dada was sentenced to seven years in prison, effective from the date of his detention.
Residents of Ado Ekiti expressed mixed reactions to the judgment. While some lauded the High Court for ensuring justice, others emphasized the need for addressing the underlying causes of crime.
“This should serve as a lesson, but we must also address unemployment and poverty,” a local resident commented.
Dada is currently serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Facility in Ado Ekiti.
Mob brutalizes 35-yr-old man who stole church’s keyboard in Delta
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that a 35-year-old man narrowly escaped death on Wednesday in the Okumagba area of Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, after being accused of stealing a keyboard belonging to a church.
Eyewitnesses reported that the mob caught the suspect red-handed, brutally beat him, and placed a motor tyre around his neck.
They paraded him through Willie Street to Okumagba Avenue, his head bruised and body severely injured.
Source: TheTalk.NG
