29-year-old man jailed for stealing cocoa, catfish in Osun

News Update

A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ila-Orangun, Osun State, has sentenced a 29-year-old man, Olaniyan Taofik, to two years in prison without the option of a fine for unlawful entry, theft, and malicious damage to property.

The judgment followed his arrest by operatives of the Osun State Amotekun Corps after a report of theft on a private farm.

Prosecuted by the Director of Legal Services for the Osun Amotekun Corps, Mr Oyedele Akintayo (Esq.), on behalf of the Attorney General of the state, Taofik was accused of unlawfully entering the farmland of one Mr Omidoyin Clement of Isale-Osun, Ila-Orangun, on July 16, 2025.

He was said to have stolen farm tools, cocoa, bananas, walnuts, and live catfish, with a total value of about ₦400,000. The prosecution also alleged that he destroyed a CCTV surveillance camera on the property, causing an additional ₦300,000 worth of damage.

The matter was reported to the Ila-Orangun Command of the Amotekun Corps, which swiftly commenced investigation. The suspect was later arrested while attempting to sell the stolen items.

During interrogation by the Corps’ Intelligence and Investigation Unit, Taofik reportedly confessed to the crime and admitted to having committed similar offences in the past.

In his ruling, Magistrate A.A. Ayeni declared that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, finding the defendant guilty of offences contrary to and punishable under Sections 81, 390(9), and 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

Magistrate Ayeni stressed that the punishment would serve as a deterrent to habitual offenders and protect the livelihoods of farmers, especially in rural communities.

The Osun Amotekun Corps reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property across the state and urged residents to support security efforts by reporting suspicious activities, particularly in vulnerable agricultural areas.