An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday, sentenced in absentia, one Tunde Ogunrinde to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a motorcycle.
The police had arraigned Ogunrinde, 29, on August 18, 2021 for allegedly stealing a Bajaj motorcycle valued at N270,000.
The Magistrate, Olatomiwa Daramola, held on Thursday: ‘’This court is fortified with the decision in the case of Maina versus Federal Republic of Nigeria (2022) LPELR-58942 (CA) to deliver this judgment in the absence of the defendant.
“I find the defendant guilty as charged, and I convict him accordingly.
“The defendant is hereby sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour or a fine of N20, 000 in lieu of imprisonment.
“All security agencies are by this judgment put on alert to apprehend the fugitive wherever and whenever sighted to serve his term of imprisonment or to pay his fine in lieu of imprisonment.
“The motorcycle is hereby ordered to be sold and the proceeds kept in an account for six months, and if no one comes forward with a genuine proof of ownership for the motorcycle, then the proceeds shall finally be forfeited to the government in line with Section 290 (2) of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2014.”
The prosecutor, Inspector Elijah Adejare, had told the court that Ogunrinde committed the offence on August 15, 2021, at 12:30pm in Ado-Ekiti.
He said that the owner of the motorcycle had yet to be identified.
He noted that stealing contravened Section 383 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
According to the prosecutor, Ogunrinde brought the motorcycle to one Oso Akindele to buy for N50,000 and Akindele priced it N40,000 and Ogunrinde agreed.
Adejare said that the very low price made Akindele suspect that the motorcycle was stolen.
He added that it was eventually discovered that the motorcycle was stolen.
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The prosecutor called two witnesses during trial and tendered statements of the convict to the police.
He also tendered the motorcycle as an exhibit.
Ogunrinde was granted bail by the court but he jumped it.
He spoke in his defence through his counsel, Yinka Opaleke.
There was no other defence witness.
