Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
A man standing trial for kidnapping in Ekiti State, Jimoh Dele, has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by the High Court Sitting in Ado Ekiti for felony, burglary and stealing.
According to the charge preferred against him, the convict was on May 11, 2020, around Mobil fueling station, Water works, Ajilosun Area of Ado Ekiti broke into a building and committed felony.
He was also said to have broken into a shop belonging to Adeleye Oluwayemisi and carted away goods and food stuffs worth over N234,000 contrary to sections 413 and 390 (9) of the Crimin4al Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
Delivering his judgment yesterday, Justice Olalekan Olatawura said: “The lone issue formulated for determination is partly resolved in favour of the prosecution and consequent thereupon, and on the strength of his confessional statement of the defendant, I find him guilty as charged in counts one and two.
“On count one, the defendant is sentenced to 14 years imprisonment and seven years imprisonment in count two. The sentences are to run concurrently.”
In her statement to the police, the complainant said her shop had been burgled twice, one in May 2020 and the second one in June 2021, during which her foodstuffs and food commodities such as rice, Semovita, wheat, tomato and paste, were stolen.
In his testimony before the court, a police officer, Sergeant Oladele Ayodeji, said the defendant on November 19, 2021, was arrested in connection with ca kidnapping, murder, unlawful possession of firearm, burglary and stealing.
During interrogation, the defendant confessed to have involved and participated in criminal activities such as kidnapping, burglary and stealing, including breaking into the shop of the complainant located at Ajilosun, Water Works Area of Ado Ekiti.
To prove his case, the prosecutor, Kunle Adeyemo, called two witnesses and tendered statements of the complainant and the defendant as exhibits.
