Man jailed for stealing tomatoes in Ondo
An Akure Magistrate’s Court, Ondo State, has sentenced a 26-year old man, Samuel Douglass, to 12 months’ imprisonment for stealing four baskets of fresh tomatoes valued at N140,000.

Douglass was arraigned by the police on a one-count charge of stealing before Magistrate Olusola Olujobi.

The prosecutor, Taiwo Oniyere, told the court that the defendant committed the offence in July 2026 at about 6:00am at Fourth Gate, Afunbiowo Estate, Akure, within the Akure Magisterial District.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant stole four baskets of fresh tomatoes, valued at N140,000, belonging to his employer, one Abimbola Akintomide.

Oniyere said the complainant had instructed Douglass to deliver the tomatoes to a driver at Ilesa Garage, but the defendant allegedly sold the produce and converted the proceeds to his use.

The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened Section 390(6) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge.

Defence counsel, Adeluyi Segun, urged the court to temper justice with mercy, describing Douglass as a young man and first-time offender. He also prayed the court to give him an option of fine.

In his ruling, Magistrate Olujobi sentenced the defendant to 12 months in prison and ordered him to pay N140,000 to the complainant.

He court ordered that failure to pay the money would result in the defendant serving the jail term.