An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 28-year-old auto mechanic, Akeem Jimoh, to three years in prison for stealing 17 tubers of yam worth N35,000.
Jimoh, who had no lawyer, admitted to the crime when he appeared in court on Wednesday.
According to the charge sheet, the theft happened around 10 pm on Friday, July 25, 2025, behind Africa Primary School in the Ataoja area of Osogbo. The stolen yams belonged to one Tiamiyu Abegunde.
The charge read, “That you, Jimoh Akeem ‘M’ on the 27th July, 2025, at about 10:00 pm at the back of Africa Primary School, Ataoja Area, Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District did steal 17 pieces of tubers of yam valued as the sum of 35,000.00 Thirty-five thousand Naira only property of one Tiamiyu Abegunde ‘m.’ And thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34, Vol 2, Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003.”
When asked why he committed the act, Jimoh told the court he was driven by hunger and pleaded for mercy.
Police prosecutor Babatunde Olukokun revealed that Jimoh, in his confessional statement, said he had earlier served a three-year jail term after a man he stood surety for jumped bail.
In her ruling, Magistrate Muibah Olatunji sentenced him to three years imprisonment with hard labour, with no option of a fine.
Cases of petty theft have become common in recent months. In July, a 21-year-old, Adebanjo Segun, was sentenced to six months in prison for stealing a fowl in Ogun State. Around the same time, one Kazeem Tobi received a six-month jail term for stealing an Elepaq generator worth about N120,000.
