A 26-year-old man, Omodara Dada, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for burglary and theft in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The ruling, delivered by Justice Lekan Ogunmoye at the Ekiti State High Court, came after Dada was found guilty of stealing a phone worth N64,000 and cash amounting to N8,000 while armed with a knife.
The crime, committed on February 13, 2022, involved Dada breaking into the room of a hotel manager, Fakiyesi Tope, threatening him with a knife, and making away with the items.
Victim Recounts Harrowing Experience
Recounting the incident, the victim, Fakiyesi, explained how he woke up to an attempted robbery in his hotel room.
“I am a hotel manager. On the fateful day, I was sleeping in my hotel room, and I woke up suddenly when I heard a sound. I saw the defendant trying to remove my Plasma television,” Fakiyesi said.
He continued, “I attempted to shout, but he brought out a knife and threatened to stab me if I shouted. I later discovered that he had packed my phone and a cash sum of N8,000 from the table. I held him from behind as he tried to escape and called for help. He was overpowered with the assistance of others, apprehended, and handed over to the police.”
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Evidence and Court Proceedings
The prosecution, led by Albert Adeyemi, presented three witnesses during the trial, including the victim. Key evidence, such as the knife used in the crime, the stolen cash, and the statements of both the victim and the defendant, were tendered in court.
The defendant, represented by his counsel, did not call any witnesses in his defense but pleaded with the court for leniency.
Judge’s Ruling
In his judgement, Justice Ogunmoye noted that while the evidence presented did not sustain the charge of armed robbery, it was sufficient to convict Dada of burglary.
“The evidence produced at the hearing in support of the greater offence is short of sustaining the charge of armed robbery, but established beyond reasonable doubt, the lesser offence,” the judge stated.
Justice Ogunmoye convicted Dada under Section 323 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, sentencing him to seven years in prison. The sentence will begin from the date of his detention at the Federal Correctional Facility, Ado-Ekiti.