Homeless Man Jailed For Wearing Stolen T-shirt & Using Smartphone

Homeless Man Jailed For Wearing Stolen T-shirt & Using Smartphone

An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos Thursday sentenced to two years imprisonment, a homeless man, who was caught wearing a shirt and using a smartphone he stole from a firm’s security guards.

27-year Francis Abu was brought to court by the Maroko Police Station on June 1 after he was apprehended by the owners of the items at Marwa Bus Stop, Lekki, Lagos.

Magistrate K. K. Awoyinka convicted Abu following his guilty plea to a five-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and breach of the peace.

She sentenced him to two years in jail without an option of fine.

“This sentence takes effect from June 3, the date that the defendant was arraigned,” Awoyinka said.

Earlier, Prosecuting Inspector Oladejo Balogun said Abu – homeless and jobless – committed the offences at about 3:30am on June 1, 2019, at No. 16, Remi Olowude Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA).

The court heard that Abu and his accomplices, who are at large, scaled a fence into the premises of Trend Kitchen Company, from where they stole the items.

“He stole four jeans trousers valued at N4800, four round neck shirts valued at N5000, two Polo shirts valued at N2000, two white pants and five boxers valued N6000, all amounting to N17,800 and school documents belonging to Mr Ajayi Akolade Oluwaseyi.

“He also stole one Tecno F3 phone valued at N37, 000, property of Mr Saturday Dick Kpokpo,” he said.

According to him, Oluwaseyi and Kpokpo discovered the theft around 3:30am.

As they made their way home at about 6pm that evening, around Marwa Bus Stop, both men saw Abu wearing one of the stolen shirts and using the Tecno F3 phone.

“They confronted him and when he claimed had just bought the shirt, they challenged him to take them to the seller. The convict took them round and round but could not identify where he bought it, following which they handed him over to the Maroko Police Station,” Balogun said.

The offences, the prosecutor added, contravened Sections 287, 308, 329 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.