A 23-year-old convict momentarily escaped from the Mapo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday when the magistrate stepped briefly to her chamber to write her judgment.

It took the efforts of some police officers and a soldier, who threatened to gun down the convict if he refused to stop before he was rearrested and brought to justice.

Upon his re-arrest, the magistrate, O. O. Latunji, sentenced the convict, Abubakar Bello, to six years imprisonment.

Ms Latunji said she convicted and sentenced Bello based on the overwhelming evidence tendered against him by the police as well as his confessional statement.

According to the magistrate, she took note of the fact that pleading guilty to an offence should be accorded a reduced sentence.

“However, to serve as a deterrent to others, you are hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment for each of the two offences. The sentence has no option of fine and shall run concurrently,” Ms Latunji said.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Oluseye Akinola, had earlier told the court that the convict was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

Mr Akinola said the convict stole N3.5 million worth of electrical cables from a filling station at Odo-Ona Kekere, Ibadan, on October 28.

The prosecution said Manager of Olabanji Oil and Gas Station at Odo-Ona Kekere, Mayowa Balogun, reported the stealing at Mapo Police Station, after which the police swung into action.

According to M,r Akinola, the convict, who had just returned from a jail term, was apprehended by the security guard of the filling station at about 4.00 a.m., after cutting electrical installations.

“Other members of his gang are now at large,” he said.

The prosecutor said it was not the first time the convict would be leading his gang to steal from the filling station.

He said the offences contravened Sections 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State 2000.

(NAN)