21st January, 2023
Paul Iyoghojie
A notorious Lagos handset thief, Destiny Ameh, 39, who, according to the police, had been terrorising road users on Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria has been jailed by Tinubu Magistrates’ Court.
Ameh’s usual spot where he snatches people’s phones and handbags is the Law School Under the bridge, Victoria Island.
He was convicted and sentenced to one-month imprisonment without an option of fine by Magistrate, T.A Idowu after pleading guilty to a one-count charge preferred against him by the Police at the Barbeach Division, Victoria Island, Lagos for snatching a Techno phone valued at N65,000 from one Rebecca Akapa at the Law School Under the bridge Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
The facts of the case were presented before the Court by the Police Counsel, Ajaga Agboko.
Police said Ameh’s journey to jail started on Christmas Eve, 25 December 2022 when he stormed out of his hideout at the Law School Under the bridge by Adeola Hopewell Street, descended on the victim and snatched her Techno phone valued at N65,000 and escaped.
According to the Police, following the ugly incident, the victim reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Bar beach Division, Victoria Island who swiftly directed his crack team led by Inspector Dimka Nenrot to hunt down the fleeing suspect and recover the stolen phone from him.
The Police team swung into action, tracked the convict to a beer parlour where he was drinking beer and arrested him.
During investigation, Ameh allegedly pleaded with the Police to have mercy on him and that hunger pushed him to be stealing phones from owners, but when asked why he was caught drinking beer instead of buying food to eat since he said hunger pushed him into stealing, he could not give a satisfactory response.
He was, therefore, charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court on a count charge of stealing.
Ameh pleaded guilty to the charge and was subsequently convicted and Jailed by Magistrate Idowu.