Yam thief bags 2 weeks community service

For breaking into a shop and stealing 10 tubers of yam, a 22-year-old unemployed man, Olatunde Saheed, is to carry out community service for two weeks in Lagos.

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, presided over by Magistrate M.O. Osinbajo, slammed the punishment and a N5,000 fine on the convict after he pleaded guilty to the offence on Tuesday.

“Based on the facts of this case, confirmed in the report and the plea of leniency, I hereby sentence you to two weeks community service and payment of a N5,000 compensation to the complainant,” Osinbajo ruled.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi had told the court that Saheed, was resident at No. 56, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Imo, Abeokuta in Ogun.

Egunjobi said Saheed stole 10 tubers of Yam valued N8,000 on Nov. 8, at No. 25, Ishola Close, Ijaiye Ojokoro a Lagos suburb.

He said that the convict broke into the shop of one Mrs. Ganiyat Akinbola and carted away the yams.

Egunjobi said that the convict was apprehended by security guards while trying to abscond with the tubers of yam and handed him over to the police.

The prosecutor said the convict contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.