An Osun State Chief Magistrates’ Court in Osogbo, the state capital, has sentenced an aluminum worker, Sunday Ejoh, to six months in prison for the theft of three tubers of yam.
The case, presided over by Magistrate Mr. M. Olatunji, involved Ejoh’s theft, with the total value of the stolen yam estimated at N3,000.
According to the Prosecutor, Mr. Jacob Akintunde, the theft occurred on September 22, 2024, when Ejoh stole the tubers of yam from a man named Oluwole Durojaye. During the investigation, the stolen yam, along with a cutlass and a pair of slippers, were recovered from Ejoh.
Ejoh was charged under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Law of Osun State, Nigeria, 2002, which relates to theft. Appearing without legal representation, Ejoh pleaded guilty to the charges. In his defense, he explained that hunger had driven him to steal, stating, “I was hungry, and I have a family.”
After considering the case, Magistrate Olatunji found Ejoh guilty and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment. However, the court offered him the option of paying a fine of N25,000 in lieu of serving the prison sentence. In addition, the court ordered that the stolen tubers of yam be returned to their rightful owner, Oluwole Durojaye.
