Court reduces accused 7 years jail term to 30 days

An Osun Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ile-Ife on Thursday reduced the prison term of a 21-year-old man, Abiodun Olalekan, from seven years to 30 days.
Olalekan had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of stealing student’s mobile phone and begged for leniency.
The Magistrate, Risikat Olayemi, said that the offence which attracted seven years imprisonment was reduced because of the severe beating and injury inflicted on the convict the populace.
Olayemi gave the convict an option to pay N5, 000 as fine in each of the two count charges.
She expressed concerns why the accused must waste his time stealing rather than engaging in better things that would give him brighter future.
Prosecutor Ona Glory had told the court that the accused committed the offence on September 7, around 6:30 p.m., at No. 149, Oroki Str., Modakeke-Ife.
Glory said that the accused entered into the room of Nwabueze Onyinyechi, a student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, when he was brushing outside and stole ITEL 1503 handset, valued N15, 000.
She said the offence contravened section 383 (1) and punishable under sections 390 (9) and 412 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol 11, Laws of Osun, 2003.
The convict, who pleaded guilty, confessed to the crime and pleaded for leniency.