Thursday, October 29, 2026

Ibadan school guard jailed 18 months for stealing employer’s iron doors, tiles

The magistrate gave an option of N50,000 for each of the offences.

• October 29, 2026
Scale of justice.
Scale of justice.

A Mapo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday sentenced a 51-year-old school guard Clement Utavie, to a total of 18 months in the correctional centre for stealing his employer’s iron doors, tiles and drum.

Delivering ​‌⁠​‍‍⁠⁠‍‌‍​‌‌‌‍‍‌​judgment, Magistrate O.O. Latunji convicted and sentenced Utavie based on his guilty plea and the evidence tendered against him.

Ms Latunji pronounced the convict guilty of all the three-count charge of malicious damage and stealing brought against him by the prosecution.

Consequently, she sentenced him to six months imprisonment for count one, six months imprisonment for count two and six months imprisonment for count three.

The magistrate, however, gave an option of N50,000 for each of the offences.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Inspector Oluseye Akinola, informed the court that the convict committed the offences on October 16 at about 7.00 a.m. at Golden Laurel International School, Soka area of Ibadan.

Mr Akinola said that Utavie, a security guard employed to secure the school, stole two iron doors valued at N170,000.

He added that the convict also stole three cartons of floor tiles valued at N22,500 and a plastic drum valued at N30,000, all totalling N222,500.

The prosecutor said that the items belonged to the school proprietor, Adebayo Alayande, who is the complainant.

According to him, the offences, contravene the provisions of sections 451 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, cap 38 vol.ii, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000. (NAN)

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