The Mapo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Thursday sentenced Opeyemi Adeshina to three years’s imprisonment with hard labour for stealing five cell phones from worshippers.

Delivering judgment, magistrate O.O. Latunji said that she convicted and sentenced Adeshina based on the evidence presented to her and his plea of guilt.

Ms Latunji added that she sentenced the convict to three years in prison despite his plea to the court to temper justice with mercy to deter other criminals.

“I hope that the convict is truly remorseful of his action because you shall be subjected to stiffer punishment if caught again after completing your jail term. Therefore, Adeshina is sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour,” Ms Latunji said.

The prosecution, Oluseyi Akinola, told the court that the convict was arraigned on a five-count charge of stealing. He stated that Mr Adeshina committed the crime in Ibadan on December 26, 2023, January 12 and February 16, respectively.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Adeshina went to different churches around Mokola, disguised as a member of the congregation.

The prosecution said the convict asked his victims to allow him to make use of their phones for an emergency and took off with the phones. He said nemesis caught up with the convict on April 8 when one of the victims apprehended him at Saint Stephen area of Mokola in Ibadan.

The prosecutor stated that Emmanuel Julius, Tosin Jimoh, Blessing Ogunniyi, Deborah Babatunde and Modupe Olalere had reported the matter at Mokola police station about the serial theft of their phones.

He said the convict stole an Infinix Alt6 worth N60,000, a Techno Pop C valued at N55,000, an Itel 860, valued at N78,000, an iPhone XI valued at N180,000 and an Infinix Max7 valued at N110,000.

(NAN)