Omu-Aran (Kwara) – A secondary school student, Adeola Olawale and his accomplice, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to stealing a motorcycle before an Omu-Aran Area Court in Kwara.
Olawale, 19, who lives at Oke-Ila Orangun in Osun, was arraigned with an accomplice, Tobi Jimoh, 23, of Big Way Ventures, Odu-Ede Ayedun, a Kwara suburb.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the duo is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft of a motorcycle marked QT 730 AKD valued at N60, 000.
Addressing the court, the prosecutor, Insp. Adeola Adeboye, said the complainant, Mr Adeoye Ezekiel, a junior secondary school teacher, reported the theft of his motorcycle at Omu-Aran Police Area Command.
“He claimed to have parked the motorcycle in front of his school in Ipetu, while on duty on July 22 when he later noticed that the motorcycle was missing.
“Based on his claims, we launched an investigation into the theft and the two accused persons were found in possession of the stolen motorcycle and were promptly arrested,” he said.
The prosecutor, who tendered the motorcycle’s number plate and documents as exhibits, said the accused were members of a motorcycle-snatching gang in the community.
He said the offences contravened Sections 97 and 287 of the Penal Code.
The accused after pleading guilty to the charges, however, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, saying their action was caused by their joblessness.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may, on conviction, be sentenced to nine years imprisonment.
The prosecutor, who did not object to their bail applications, however, urged the court to be more stringent in granting the bail, saying the addresses of the accused are unknown.
The judge, Mr Adebola Banigbe, granted each of the accused bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case to Aug. 10 for sentence. (NAN)