A Magistrate Court in Akure, Ondo State, has sentenced a 38-year-old bricklayer, Olushola Olatunde, to 21 years imprisonment for stealing items from two churches.
Olatunde was arrested by the Ondo State Police Command on December 8 and 24, 2024, for stealing various items, including cash, a public address system, and an iron rod, valued at a total of N1,340,900 from the Revelation of God Miracle Church.
He was arraigned on six counts of stealing and illegal entry, to which he pleaded guilty.
During the trial, state prosecutor D.S. Msonter-Shagba revealed that Olatunde committed the crimes between December 24, 2024, and January 8, 2025, at multiple locations in Akure.
On December 24, 2024, at No. 17 Plaza Road, Isolo, Akure, Olatunde broke into the Revelation of God Miracle Church and stole a 16-channel live series audio mixer worth N250,000 and a public address system valued at N250,000.
The same day, at No. 7 Ore-Ofe Street, Oke Ijebu, Akure, he also broke into the Garden of Faith Church and stole items, including an amplifier worth N230,000, a 6.5kV generator valued at N250,000, two lengths of 12mm rods worth N19,600, and an iron tithe box valued at N35,000, totaling N534,600.
Additionally, on December 24, Olatunde stole 33 bags of cement worth N306,900 from Shasha Market, Kilometre 12, Owo Express Road, Akure.
The prosecutor argued that the offences violated Sections 383, 390(9), 415, and 413(2) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.
Delivering the judgment, Magistrate Damilola Sekoni sentenced Olatunde to 21 years imprisonment without the option of a fine. The court ruled that the convict would serve four years each for counts one, two, three, five, and six, and one year for count four.
However, the magistrate ordered that the sentences run concurrently, meaning Olatunde will serve a total of four years in the correctional facility.
