Court jails man seven years for robbing victim of N64,000 phone in Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday sentenced one Omodara Dada to seven years imprisonment for burglary and stealing.

The 26-year-old convict was arraigned before Justice Lekan Ogunmoye on the 19th of July, 2022 on a count charge of Armed Robbery contrary to section 312 (2) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2011.

According to the charge, the convict on the 13th of February, 2022 at Ado Ekiti, within the jurisdiction of the court, robbed one Fakiyesi Tope of his black Infinix Hot 8 Phone valued at N64,000 and a cash sum of N8,000.

At the time of the robbery, he was armed with a knife.

In his statement to the police, the victim said, “I am an hotel Manager, on the fateful day, I was sleeping in my hotel room, I woke up suddenly when I heard a sound, I saw the defendant trying to remove my Plasma Television.

“I attempted to shout but he brought out a knife, and he threatened to stab me if I tried it, I later discovered that he had packed my phone and a cash sum of #8,000 I placed on the table.

“I held him from behind when he wanted to escape, I shouted for help, he was overpowered with the assistant of others, he was arrested and handed over to the police.”

To prove his case, the prosecutor, Albert Adeyemi called three witnesses and tendered statements of the victim and defendant, a knife, cash sum of #8,000 among others as exhibits.

The defendant spoke in his own defence through his counsel and pleaded to the court, to temper justice with mercy but called no witnesses.

In his judgement, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye said, “The evidence produced at the hearing, in support of the greater offence is short of sustaining the charge of Armed Robbery, but established beyond reasonable doubt, the lesser offence.

“The defendant is convicted for the offence of burglary under section 323 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State.

“He is sentenced to seven years imprisonment, to start running from the date of his detention at Federal Correctional Facility, Ado-Ekiti.”