The Ikeja Magistrates’ Court has sentenced 44-year-old Chijioke Kingsley to four weeks’ imprisonment for stealing.

The convict, whose residential address was not provided, pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy and stealing.

The convicted, who pleaded for mercy, told the court that he committed the offences out of frustration.

The Magistrate, Lateef Owolabi, sentenced him to four months’ imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine for each of the charges.

Mr Owolabi held that the sentence would run concurrently and said frustration was not a yardstick to commit a crime.

“I have listened to your allocutus, and I must say that frustration is not an excuse to commit crimes.

“Such conducts should not be condoled in any clime. As such, based on the facts presented and admission of guilt, I find the defendant guilty,” he said.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, had told the court that the defendant committed the offences on September 9.

She said Mr Kingsley was arrested for stealing a Samsung phone worth N60,000, belonging to the complainant, identified as Oladapo.

Ms Ikhayere said the offences contravened section 280 and were punishable under section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. 

(NAN)