Confusion in court as victim burst into tears, begs on behalf of convicted offender

A Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court witnessed a mild drama on Wednesday, as a complainant, James Bassey, broke down in tears to beg for leniency for a drycleaner, Puis Savoir, who was sentenced to one month for stealing a pressing iron and N20,000.

Chief Magistrate Patrick Adekomaiya convicted Savior, following his guilty plea and presentation of the facts of the case.

The prosecutor, Ikem Uko, told the court that the convict committed the offence on July 6 at about 7:00 p.m. at Yeponnawa Str. Church-Gate, Lagos.

According to Uko, the defendant stole a pressing iron and N20,000 from Mr Bassey, the complainant. He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate held that as a first-time offender, the court would be lenient. He thereby sentenced Savior to one month imprisonment; seven days in prison, and the remaining three weeks in Morogbo Police Station, where he would be reporting daily for community service.

Immediately after the sentence, Mr Bassey burst into tears and pleaded that the convict should be pardoned.

“My Lord, I don’t have a wife or children; it is this convict that always takes care of me. He used to help me do all my domestic work and massage me, but the habit of stealing my things is too much, that is why I reported him when he stole my money and pressing iron. If you sentence him to prison now, nobody will be assisting me, and this could lead to my death,” he said.

In related news, an 18-year-old student identified as Abubakar Adam has bagged nine months jail-term over the theft of a mobile phone.

An Area Court in Jos, Plateau state on Wednesday, June 21, sentenced him after he was found guilty of stealing a smartphone worth N85,000.

The Prosecutor, Ibrahim Gokwat told the court that the case was reported by the complainant, Habizu Hassan, on February 20 at the ”C” Police Divisional office in Plateau.

Gokwat claimed Adam trespassed into the complainant’s room and stole his Samsung phone valued at N85,000 and sold it to one Abdullahi Gambo for N13,000. The presiding Judge, Shawomi Bokkos, convicted Adam after a summary trial following his guilty plea.

Bokkos, however, gave the defendant an option of N10,000 fine. He also ordered the convict to pay N100,000 as compensation to the complainant. He held that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.

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