A Magistrate court in Okitipupa has sentenced a vigilante, Haworabi Sunday, who looted houses in the neigbourhood he watched, to 13 years imprisonment.

The suspect is facing a five-count charge of conspiracy, house breaking, unlawful entering, stealing and unlawful damage at two different locations.

Haworabi, who initially pleaded not guilty to the offences, later gave oral detail of how he committed the crime in the court.

He narrated that before the day he broke into the house he looted, while going round at night, he saw a rabbit which he chased and ran into the fenced building through an opening.

“I then scaled the fence, but could not locate the rabbit. Looking round, I discovered that there was nobody in the building and I was tempted to break into it and stole the materials recovered from me.”

According to the charge, on June 16, 2017 between 6.00pm and 6.00am, along Oyesanmi Street, Okitipupa, Haworabi and one other person at large conspired to commit felony to wit stealing.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. I, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

At the same time of the same day, he allegedly committed house breaking and entering which contravenes Sections 411 and 412 of the same Criminal Code above.

Items allegedly stolen from the building included a Plasma television valued N150,000, six three-and-half feet mattresses valued N450,000 and other materials totalling N1,386,000.

The offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 390 (9) of the above quoted criminal code.

The building and materials stolen belong to one Mrs Funmilayo Ikujuni.

Later in the same month, at House Number 11, Omifun Street, Okitipupa, Haworabi was alleged to have unlawfully damaged six three-and-half feet mattresses belonging to Mrs Ikujuni by cutting them into pieces.

The offence is, according to prosecution, contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code cited above.

Since he confessed to the crime, the presiding Magistrate, Banji Ayeomoni urged the prosecutor, Inspector Zedekiah Orogbemi to give details of the case.

The accused person was consequently convicted, but pleaded for leniency.

He was sentenced to three years imprisonment on count one, two years on count two, two years on count three, three years on count four and three years on count five; all without option of fine but to run concurrently. (Channels TV)

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