A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has sentenced two siblings, Gbenga Elegbede and Funmilayo Elegbede, to 18 months of combined imprisonment for stealing toothpaste and other items from two persons, Adeleke Omolayo and Alhaji Wahab.
Delivering the judgment on Wednesday, the Magistrate, E. O. Idowu, sentenced Gbenga to one year of imprisonment with hard labour, while Funmilayo was sentenced to six months with hard labour.
The verdict comes after both siblings pleaded guilty to eight counts of conspiracy, stealing, breaking and entering, and aiding and abetting.
The prosecutor, Laide Rawlings, had told the court that the siblings burgled the shop of Omolayo Adeleke and carted away items worth N291,150, which included 16 slippers, six markers, three toothpaste tubes, one mat, and three gas cylinders, among others.
She also stated that the siblings burgled the apartment of one Alhaji Wahab and stole a purse worth N1,500 containing N450,000.
Rawlings said their offenses contravene and are punishable under Section 127, 390(9), 411(1), 413(1), and 516 of the Criminal Code Law of Ogun State.
Gbenga and Funmilayo pleaded guilty to their offenses and begged for clemency, stressing that the former is a nursing mother of a three-month-old daughter.
Reacting to the judgment, the Defense Counsel, Barrister Nafisat Mas’ud, described the judgment as fair, stressing that justice is not only for the defendants.
She said, “Since the defendants have pleaded guilty to the offenses, the judgment is a fair one. Justice is not only for the defendants but also for the whole society. They deserve what they get.”
Recalled that the siblings were arraigned on July 19th, 2023 before Magistrate M.O. Osinbajo after which they were transferred to Chief Magistrate E.O. Idowu.
