A Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta South Local government area of Ogun State, on Thursday, has sentenced two persons, Emmanuel Choice and Ojuola Akande to three months imprisonment for stealing motor parts of a truck belonging to Dangote Cement Transport company.
In a separate judgment, the court also sentenced one Olaiya Abdulrahman to six months imprisonment for driving recklessly which led to the injury of one Olusegun Olusanya.
The prosecutor, Lawrence Olu-Balogun, noted that on August 22, 2023, Emmanuel and Ojuola stole four tyres, four rims and four drum hubs from the trailer body marked DT/7736/CH and two tyres, two rims, one drum hub from the trailer body marked DT/7579/CH valued N976,715.00 belonging to Dangote Cement Transport, Ibese.
He noted that the defendants committed offences that bordered on felony to wit and stealing and therefore contravened Sections 516 and 383 of the Criminal Code Vol. II Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2004.
The charge read in part, “That you Emmanuel Choice ‘M’, Ojuola Akande ‘M’ and one other now at large on 22nd of August, 2023 at about 03:00hrs at Dangote Cement Transport Premises, Ibese, in the Ayetoro Magisterial District did conspire within yourself to Commit Felony To Wit Stealing and thereby Committed an Offence Contrary to and Punishable Under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Vol. II Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2004.
“That you Emmanuel Choice ‘M’, Ojuola Akande ‘M’ and one other now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did steal Four Tyres, Four Rims and Four Drum Hub from Trailer body marked DT/7736/CH and Two Tyres, Two Rims, one Drum Hub from Trailer body marked DT/7579/CH valued Nine Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifteen Naira (N976,715.00k) only property of Dangote Cement Transport, Ibese, and thereby Committed an Offence Contrary to Section 383 and Punishable Under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Vol. II Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2004.”
Similarly, Olu-Balogun noted that on August 12, 2023, Abdulrahman drove recklessly and rammed into 53-year-old Onasanya along Afami Road in Yewa-North local government area of Ogun State which left the victim with body injuries.
Olu-Balogun told the court that the offences committed by Abdulraham contravened and are punishable under section 6(1) and Section 13 (1) (a) of the Federal High Way Act CAP 135 of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, applicable in Ogun State.
The charge read in part, “That you OLAIYA ABDULRAHMAN ‘M’ on the 12th of August, 2023 at about 12;30hrs. at Dangote Afami Road, in the Ayetoro Magisterial District, being the Driver in Charge of a Toyota Hilux pickup van with Reg. No. 001 did drive the şaid vehicle on the Public Road in a manner which was dangerously, recklessly and knocked down one Onasanya Olusegun ‘m’ 53 yrs a security operative at Dangote Cement Transport, Ibese, as such caused bodily injuries including broken ribs and shoulder bone into the said Onasanya Olusegun ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to and Punishable under Section 6 (1) of the Federal High Way Act CAP 135 of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Applicable in Ogun State.
“That you OLAIYA ABDULRAHMAN ‘M’ on the same date, time and place in the Aforementioned Magisterial District being the Driver of the said Vehicle did cause bodily injuries to one Onasanya Olusegun ‘m’ but failed to stop or attend to the injured person so as to procure for him medically attention nor report the accident to the nearest Police Station, and thereby Committed an offence Contrary to Section 13 (1) (a) (c) and punishable under Section 13 (2) of the Federal High Way Act CAP 135 of Federation (of Nigeria, 2004, Applicable in Ogun State.”
All the convicts pleaded guilty to the two-count charge slammed against them.
Delivering the judgment, Chief Magistrate E. O. Idowu found the convicts guilty of the offences and thereby sentenced Emmanuel and Ojuola to three months imprisonment with no option of fine while Abdulrahman was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine provided he can pay the sum of N200,000 to the injured victim.