Barber To Receive 12 Strokes Of Cane Over Phone Theft, Court Rules

An Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan has ruled that a 25-year-old barber be canned 12 strokes for stealing a smartphone valued at N48,000.

The barber, Mutiu Fatai, was also sentenced ‎to one week of community service.

Fatai was arraigned on April 23, 2018, before the court ‎on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecutor, Shalewa Hammed told the court ‎that the convict and others now at large April 9, 2017, at about 6:30 p.m. at Oni and Son’s Hospital area of Ibadan respectively did conspire together to commit a felony with stealing.

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He said on the same date, time and place Fatai double-crossed the car of one Mrs Taylor Funmilayo of Oni Memorial Hospital and snatched her smartphone valued at N48,000.

Hammed said the offence is punishable under Section 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II laws of Oyo State.

On April 23, 2018, the convict pleaded not guilty and was granted bail the sum of 50,000.00 ‎with one surety gainfully employed and the case adjourned till June 5, 2018.

On June 7, 2018, the complainant had approached the court requesting for the withdrawal of the case based on pressure from Mutiu Fatai’s Family.

The Magistrate, however, turned down the request insisting that he wanted to hear the fact of the matter.

After listening to the fact of the matter, the Magistrate put it to the convict whether it was true or not, to which he (Mutiu Fatai‎) replied in the affirmative and pleaded guilty.

He further prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, saying that dropped out of school due to financial problems from his family.

In his ruling, the Magistrate ruled that Fatai be canned 12 strokes and sentenced him to one-week community service, to serve as a deterrent to others.