A magistrates’ court in Abeokuta, on Wednesday, sentenced two men, Akeem Ogunsola,45, and Dauda Adesola, 38, to two years’ imprisonment each for stealing a cow worth N277,000.

The defendants, whose addresses were not provided, had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The magistrate, O.O. Odumosu, held that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offences.

She, thereafter, sentenced the duo to two years’ imprisonment each, with an option of a N10,000 fine each upon restitution of the value of the cow.

Earlier, the prosecutor, ASP Olakunle Shonibare, told the court that the convicts committed the offences on March 28 at about 7:20 p.m. in the Impala area of Abeokuta.

He said the cow belonged to a man, Adeyemo Sulaimon.

According to the prosecutor, the convicts stole the cow while returning from the farm and hid it before killing it after two days.

“After they had secretly killed the cow, they both shared the meat and packed it in two sacks.

“While the complainant was still on the search for his cow, he met the defendants along the road leading to the farm, became suspicious of the content of the sacks and accosted them.”

He said the convicts confessed to stealing the cow during the police investigation.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened sections 516, 394 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006. 

(NAN)