An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced four men to seven years imprisonment each for stealing and burglary.
Justice Bamidele Omotoso convicted the accused persons: Owoeye Ojo, Agbetuyi Taiwo, Adeniyi Busayo and Lasisi Friday for breaking into a shop and stealing.
The court found the defendants guilty of the offence of burglary and stealing, due to their confessional statement and witnesses called during the trial.
The court, in arriving at the judgment, did not give the convicts an option of fine.
The judge, however, did not find them guilty of conspiracy which they were also charged with.
Earlier, prosecution counsel, Mr Wale Fapohunda, said that the convicts committed the offences on August 26, 2017 at Enu Odi, Odo-Ado in Ado-Ekiti.
He added that the defendants broke into a shop of one Mrs Iyabo Ige around 2am and 5am and carted away the following items, packs of noodles, cigarettes, tins of milk and packs of battery.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 413 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti, 2012.
The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered exhibits, including pictures, stolen items and statements of the convicts.
Defence counsel, Mr Yinka Opaleye called only a witness in the course of the trial.
Opaleye pleaded for leniency, praying the court to tamper justice with mercy as they were first offenders.
But Justice Omotoso held that the prosecution has proved the case beyond the reasonable doubt.
He held that the court had no option than to sentence the convicts on the strength of evidence before it.
