23-year-old man bags 7 years imprisonment for arson

An Ekiti State High Court on Tuesday sentenced 23- year-old Odeh Gabriel to 7 years- imprisonment for setting on fire cocoa, banana and vegetable farms in Ekiti.

Delivering judgment, the trial judge, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, ruled that the circumstantial evidence before the court had fixed the defendant to the scene of the crime.

“In all, I hold that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant. “He is accordingly found guilty as charged.

“He is sentenced to seven years imprisonment with an option of N15,000 fine on all the five-count charges, to run concurrently, Ogunmoye said.

The convict, according to the charge, committed the offences on Feb. 25, 2019, at Ode-Omu farm, Erio Ekiti when he set fire to cocoa, banana and other vegetables farms belonging to Saka Ismaila, Ajayi Benson, Yusuf Wasiu, Jimoh Moshood and Moruf Popoola.

He said that the offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 445 (a) and (c) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, Nigeria, 2012.

During the trial, the Prosecutor, Mr D.O. Oyewole, called six witnesses and tendered exhibits including statements of the complainants and defendants, as well as photographs of the burnt farms among others.

The defendant was represented by counsel, Mr O.G. Ajaja, who called one witness, but before the delivery of judgment prayed the court to temper justice with mercy for his client. (NAN)