Man Who Stole N2.3 Million Gets 27 Years In Prison

Dipo Femi, aged 22, received a 27-year prison sentence for his involvement in conspiracy, burglary, and theft by the Ado Ekiti Division of the Ekiti State High Court.The sentence, which will be served consecutively starting from the date of his arrest, consisted of seven years for three charges (totaling 21 years) and three years for two charges (totaling six years).Femi was charged on July 19, 2022, with five counts related to conspiracy, burglary, and other offenses, as outlined in Sections 421, 324, and 302 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State, 2021.The charges stated that Femi, along with others who are currently at large, conspired and broke into the shops of Victor Mark, Clement Moses, and Samuel Lucky on March 14, 2022, at 5:30 a.m. in Oke Ureje, Polytechnic Road, Ado Ekiti, stealing various items.The stolen items, valued at N2.150m, included men's and women's clothing, jewelry, footwear, N200,000 in cash, perfumes, body spray, and fez caps, among other things, according to the charges presented.During the trial, the prosecutor, Kunle-Shina Adeyemo, presented four witnesses and submitted the defendant's statements and bond as evidence, while the defendant defended himself through his counsel, Chris Omokhafe, without calling any witnesses.In delivering the verdict, Justice Blessing Ajileye stated that the prosecution had convincingly proven the theft charges against the defendant. The judge sentenced Femi to seven years in prison for counts 1, 2, and 4 (conspiracy and burglary) each, and three years for counts 3 and 5, with the terms to be served concurrently from the date of arrest.