By Ngozi Njoku
Lagos – An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, sentenced a 27-year-old sales-boy, Ikechukwu Mwaokike to three years imprisonment for stealing N45,000 cell phone.
The convict of no fix address was arraigned on a two-count charge of stealing N54, 000 cash and an infinix phone, valued at N45, 000 to which he pleaded guilty to stealing the cell phone.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, said the convict must serve the sentence without an option of fine.
Sule-Amzat said, “The prosecution was able to establish that the convict, a sales-boy, deceived his boss and gave him fake information of himself on his guarantor’s form and absconded after he was exposed.”
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Lucky Ihiehie, told court that the accused committed the offence on No.6 at No. 157 Ogudu, road, Ojota area of Lagos.
Ihiehie said the complainant, Mr Tunde Adesamya, reported the case at Ogudu Police Post.
“The complainant operates a bar at No. 157, Ogudu road, Ojota area of Lagos and had employed the accused as a bar man two weeks ago with a guarantor’s form to fill and return.
“The complainant discovered after going through the form and investigated, all information given by the convict was fake.”
Ihiehie said when the convict discovered that his boss had found out the truth about him, “he absconded with N54, 000 and an infinix phone, valued at N45, 000 belonging to his boss.
He said Mwaokike was later apprehended as he was still using the stolen cellphone to chat on social media, adding that his line was traced and blocked on Nov. 9.
Ihiehie said the offences contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.