Akegh was jailed on Thursday without an option of fine by a presiding magistrate, Mr. L.O. Kazeem.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the
convict had on January 27 around 8pm sneaked into the children’s section
of the RCCG parish, Tabernacle of Peace, on Oluwole Baker Street,
Thomas Estate, Ajiwe, in the Ajah area of the state and stole a Plasma
television set valued at N40,000.
He reportedly committed the crime while a service was ongoing at the main section of the church.
Our correspondent learnt that there was outage during the service.
As the prayers progressed, a church
member, Olusola Osundare, was said to have gone to the children section
to check if power had been restored when he caught Akegh in the act.
The convict was said to have escaped from the scene but was later caught by church members who gave him a hot chase.
The television, which belonged to the
parish pastor, Ayodeji Adeniyi, was recovered from Akegh, after which he
was handed over to the police at the Ajah division.
He was subsequently arraigned on January
31 on one count of stealing to which he pleaded guilty and the case was
adjourned till Thursday for facts and sentence.
The charge read, “That you, Benjamin
Akegh, on January 27, 2018 around 8pm on Oluwole Baker Street, Thomas
Estate, Ajiwe, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal a 24-inche
LG Plasma television, valued at N40,000, property of one Pastor Ayodeji
Adeniyi, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 287 of
the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”
While presenting facts of the matter,
the police prosecutor, Inspector Phillip Osijale, told the court that
the convict had once been jailed for stealing, but did not turn a new
leaf after he was released on December 20, 2017.
He said, “One Olusola Osundare of
Oluwole Bakare Street, Thomas Estate, Ajah, came to the station and
reported that there was an evening service at the Redeemed Christian
Church of God at the aforementioned address. And that when he left to
check whether power had been restored, he saw light in the children
department of the church, whereas the light was not supposed to be on.
“That when he peeped, he saw that the TV
set hanged on the wall was already removed and he decided to enter the
apartment to see what was wrong.
“He said as he tried to open the door,
something was pulling it back; then he applied force and called one
other member in his reach. He said in the process, one Benjamin Akegh
forced his way out and started running away. He was chased and finally
apprehended.”
The presiding magistrate, Kazeem, said
the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and
sentenced Okegh to one year’s imprisonment without an option of fine.
He added that the jail term should start from Thursday, the day of the judgment.
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