10th May, 2011
A three-time convicted criminal, Shakiru Saula, has expressed joy following his conviction again at the Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court. He says his stay in prison would afford him the opportunity to eat free food.
Shakiru was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for stealing after he pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
It was the fourth time he was going to prison for criminal offences.
Shakiru had been previously jailed on three occasions and has spent the last three years at Kirikiri prison in Apapa, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria before this one.
He claimed that he would be better off at the Kirikiri prison than to stay outside and remain hungry since he was jobless.
He also claimed that after he left prison just few weeks before he was re-arrested, he had found it difficult to feed.
Shakiru said he was used to prison condition and admitted that he was a criminal and could not do any genuine business to survive.
He lamented that the police have been on his neck for the past three years which has caused him to be in prison custody for almost four years now.
Shakiru, who is 22, was alleged to have sneaked into a house at 62, Adebayo Ajayi Street, Egan, Lagos and stole an unregistered motorcycle belonging to Ogbonaya Orji.
He was, however, unlucky as he was caught by the neighbours who handed him over to the police.
He was charged to court where he pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing under sections 516 and 390 of the Criminal Code 2003.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. S. O. Solebo sentenced him accordingly after noting that he was not a first offender.
While entering the Black Maria, he said that he was satisfied with the judgement to the astonishment of the litigants at the court.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe