By Ijeoma Agbafo
An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday sentenced a 26-year-old man, ThankGod Obadiah, to two years’ imprisonment for stealing an electrical armoured cable valued at N1 million. Obadiah was convicted after pleading guilty to a two-count charge of unlawful damage and stealing brought against him by the police.
The Magistrate, Mrs A. T. Oyediji, sentenced the convict to one year’s imprisonment on the first count, with an option of three months’ community service at the court premises. She also handed him another one-year prison sentence on the second count, with the same option of three months’ community service.
Oyediji, however, ordered that the two sentences should run concurrently, meaning Obadiah will not serve them consecutively. She further directed that he should serve his sentence at the Agodi Correctional Facility in Ibadan, following his conviction for the offences.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Oluwafemi Ajayi, told the court that Obadiah committed the offences at about 5 a.m. on September 5 at Steelwork Company in the Oluyole area of Ibadan. Ajayi said the convict allegedly damaged electrical conductors and relays while disconnecting the cable from its source in order to steal it, adding that the armoured cable belonged to the company and was valued at N1 million.
The prosecutor said security personnel on duty at the premises noticed Obadiah cutting the company’s cable and raised an alarm. He added that one of the security personnel, Babatunde Danni, apprehended the convict and handed him over to the police. Ajayi said the offences contravened Sections 390 and 458 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
