There was a mild drama at an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Tuesday as a man accused of stealing telephone hand sets changed his guilty plea as he was being sentenced.
The accused Segun Olanrewaju had earlier pleaded guilty to the theft of two mobile phones worth N80, 000.
Olanrewaju, 24, who resides at 23, Olufemi St., Yaba, was arraigned on March 4 and remanded him in Kirikiri Prisons after admitting the charge of theft.
The case was scheduled for facts and sentencing on Tuesday.
However, when the Magistrate, Akeem Fashola, was about to sentence him, he changed his plea, saying:“ I earlier pleaded guilty because I did not understand the charge.”
Fashola granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case to April 8 for mention.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Feb. 25 at Oshodi. He alleged that the accused stole two phones belonging to one Mr Chibueze Igwe valued at N80, 000.
According to him, the accused tore the complainant’s bag and removed the phones.
Olatunde said the accused was later apprehended by the police the same day when he allegedly snatched another phone from a woman who was receiving a call.
“When Olanrewaju was arrested, seven phones were recovered from him, including the complainant’s phones.’’
According to the prosecutor, the accused was recently released from prison after spending six months for committing a similar offence.
The offence, he noted, contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
NAN also reports that Section 285 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing
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