A 25-year-old man, Balogun Mujaid, has been sentenced to over seven years imprisonment with hard labour after being convicted of multiple theft-related offenses, including stealing an Itel A50 phone while serving community service within a court premises in Ekiti State.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Chief Magistrate Dolamu Babalogbon sentenced Mujaid to three years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing the phone, valued at ₦98,000, and ordered him to pay ₦130,000 as restitution to the owner, Mrs. Olusola Oluwatuyi.
Additional Sentences for Multiple Thefts
Mujaid was also found guilty in two other cases, where he:
- Received three years imprisonment with hard labour, with an option of a ₦20,000 fine on Count 1.
- Got three months imprisonment, with an option of a ₦10,000 fine, on Count 2.
- Was sentenced to an additional one year and three months imprisonment, without an option of fine, in another case.
How He Was Caught
According to Inspector Sodiq Adeniyi, the prosecuting officer, Mujaid stole the phone on October 15, 2024, at about 8:30 a.m., right within the Chief Magistrate Court premises in Ado Ekiti, where he was performing community service as a penalty for a prior offense.
In a separate case, filed under Charge No: MAD/111c/25, Mujaid was convicted of stealing a standing fan (₦25,000) and a home theatre system (₦45,000), totaling ₦70,000, from Falola Sunday at Oke-Ila, Ado-Ekiti, on January 24, 2025.
The offenses violated Sections 302(1)(a)(b) and 181(1)(d) of the Ekiti State Laws of 2021.
The Bigger Picture
Mujaid’s case highlights the increasing consequences of theft in Ekiti State, as courts continue to impose harsher penalties to curb criminal activities. With rising economic hardships, incidents of petty theft appear to be on the rise, prompting authorities to take a firmer stance on law enforcement.
With his multiple sentences stacking up, Mujaid will now serve a lengthy prison term unless he can pay the fines imposed.
