1st March, 2014
A Nigerian high court in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, has sentenced Babatunde Ogunjobi, 33, and Abdulgafar Yusuf, 39, to 10 and seven years imprisonment respectively for stealing Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s cell phone and duping people with it.
Justice Saka Falola, who gave the verdict on Friday, said the convicts should serve the 17 years at the Federal Prison, Ilesa, because of the gravity of the offences. The accused were convicted on charges of conspiracy, stealing and impersonation.
Aregbesola’s phone (Sony Ericson) valued N50,000, was stolen on Nov. 27, 2010 at Technical College sports ground in Osogbo. The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr Dapo Adeniji, had told the court that Yusuf, a prison warder, stole the phone.
“He connived with Babatunde at Osun State Technical College, Osogbo, to defraud one Shenge Rahman of N200,000 with the phone on May 24, 2011.
“The two also defrauded the Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, of N500,000 on June 3, 2011 with the stolen phone, number 08039404966, claiming to be the Governor of Osun.
“They pretended to be Aregbesola, demanding some huge amount of money from the complainants on several occasions.
“It was when the information got to the governor that they were both apprehended with the help of operatives of the Directorate of State Security, Osun’’, Adeniji said.
Adeniji commended the judgment, adding that justice had taken its course.
Counsel to the convicts, Mr Akin Ladipo, had pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.