An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a 22-year-old man, Sunday Gmaed, to three months in prison for stealing seven chickens valued at ₦57,000.
Chief Magistrate Kehinde Awosika handed down the sentence after the defendant pleaded guilty and begged the court for leniency. However, the court gave Gmaed an option of a ₦30,000 fine as an alternative to imprisonment.
Earlier, the police prosecutor, Inspector Elijah Adejare, informed the court that the offence was committed on June 28 at about 9:30 a.m. in Ado-Ekiti.
According to Inspector Adejare, the defendant stole seven chickens belonging to the complainant, Olaniyi Olasehinde, from his poultry farm located at Odo village along Ilawe Road in Ado-Ekiti.
“The defendant cut through the poultry net to gain access and strangled the chickens before making away with them,” the prosecutor told the court.
He said the offence contravened Section 302(1)(a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
Gmaed was first arraigned on July 2 on one count of stealing and initially pleaded not guilty. He was granted bail in the sum of ₦20,000 with one surety in like sum.
However, on July 11, the adjourned date, the defendant changed his plea to guilty and pleaded with the court for mercy.
