A Yaba Magistrates’ court in Lagos State, on Tuesday sentenced a 33-year-old sales agent, Chima Osubor, to three years in prison for stealing a Volvo truck valued at N2 million from his principal.

Magistrate Oluwatoyin Ojuromi, sentenced Osubor to 18 months’ imprisonment each on three charges but, however, gave him an option to pay a N1.42m fine to the complainant.

She ruled that the sentences would run concurrently.

The convict, who resides in the Shomolu area of Lagos, was arraigned on May 13, 2019, and had pleaded not guilty to the charges of stealing, cheating and criminal damage to property.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Oriabure, told the court that the convict had committed the offences sometime in May 2013, at No. 2b Salami Sauvignon Street, in Palmgroove area of Lagos.

According to him, Osubor, as an agent, had been given a Volvo truck with Registration No. YA 189 FKJ by the complainant, Mr Remmy Okoro, to sell and remit the proceeds.

He said the convict had damaged the truck while driving it recklessly, after illegally converting it to his personal use.

Oriabure listed the damaged parts as; two windscreens valued N55,000, two side mirrors valued N10,000, two head lamps valued N50,000, one front valve valued N30,000 and one exhaust pot valued N30,000.

Other parts were; four pointers valued N10,000, one gas tank valued N15,000, four tyres valued N220,000, and battery cover valued N7,500, with a total value of N427,500.

The offences, he said, contravened the provisions of Sections 285 (9), 337 (1) and 321 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

NAN