17-year old Apprentice Bricklayer arraigned in Court.

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A 17-year-old male apprentice bricklayer, name withheld, was arraigned before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria on a two-charge count.

The 1st count charge stated that on the 14th day of January, 2018 at about 1 pm at Sanyo Area, Ibadan in Ibadan Magisterial district did break into the dwelling house of one Muideen Opeyemi which is an offense contrary to and punishable under section 413 (1) of criminal Code Cap 38 Volume 2 Laws of Oyo State of  Nigeria 2000.

He was also charged for stealing an ‘Itel’ hand phone valued at Six Thousand Naira (N6,000) equivalent to about US$16.6 and cash of Four Hundred and Fifty Naira (N450) equivalent to about US$1.25 making a total of Six Thousand Four Hundred and Fifty Naira (N6,450) at the same date and time both of which is an offence contrary to and punishable under section 390 (9) of criminal code cap 38 Volume 2 laws of Oyo State Nigeria 2000.

The accused admitted that he was guilty of the two charges that were filed against him. But during the course of hearing, it was discovered that the Investigating Police Officer (I.P.O.) did not bring the exhibits recovered from the accused person to the court.

The Chief Magistrate A.A. Adebisi was firm and unwavering  and ordered that without the exhibits the proceeding cannot be continued. He further ordered the counsel to the plaintiff, Prosecutor Sunday Ogunremi and Counsel to the defendant, Barrister Ajijola Babatunde to stand case down till afternoon session so that the I.P.O. will be able to present before the Court the exhibits so recovered from the accused person and both Counsels agreed. His Honour, the Chief Magistrate A.A. Adebisi thus ordered the IPO to bring forth the exhibits for clarification before the law and the case was stand down.

At the afternoon court session, the exhibits recovered from the accused person (a red ‘Itel’ Phone and #200) were tendered to the court by the IPO and the prosecution continued.

The prosecutor told court that the accused person was reported to the police station on the 14th day of January, 2018 by Muideen Opeyemi that accused person broke into the complainant house at Adefebo Alabaka street Sanyo Area, Ibadan through the window and stole an ‘ITel’ phone and N450.

The accused person was pursued by the people and he ran into a house later known at Abeku Street, Sanyo Area, Ibadan.  After identifying where the accused person entered, the complainant reported to other House owners in the community and them the accused person’s property-owner was contacted and the accused person was brought to the other property owners. The complainant was able to identify the accused person who was taken to the police station at Sanyo area, Ibadan with the exhibits.

The Counsel to the defendant pleaded to the Magistrate that he strongly believed that his client must have learnt his lesson by now and the court can see that there is a sign of remorse on him and his client can be useful to the society in the future if he is properly handled by his parents. He pleaded that he will be grateful if the court of law can either place his client on the community service or payment of a fine.

His Honour, the Chief Magistrate A.A. Adebisi ordered the accused person to be placed on the community service for 3 days starting from the 23rd of January to 26th of January 2018 with the hour of 9am to 1pm (4 hours on daily basis) strictly observed by the Community Service Official and the Chief Magistrate finally order the court clerk to return the ‘Itel’ Phone and N200 recovered from the accused person to the complainant.

By Ademola Oladele

PublicTimes http://publictimes.com.ng ISSN 2250-9259

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