A Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court has convicted and sentenced Olanrewaju Adiyade, a businessman in the oil and gas sector, to one and a half years in prison for stealing N5.94 million. Magistrate T.O. Abayomi handed down the sentence after finding Adiyade guilty of the offense.
Adiyade was charged under case number O/02/2021 by officers from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos. He faced two charges: stealing and obtaining the said amount under false pretenses from Chief Ramoni Onokoya.
The offenses are punishable under Sections 314 and 287 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015. During the trial, the prosecutor, S.O. Ayodele, called two witnesses: the complainant, Chief Onokoya, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Uche Benjamin, who investigated the crime. Several exhibits were also presented and admitted in court.
Adiyade denied the allegations but could not clear himself of the fraud charge. Through his lawyer, C.U. Olayanju, Adiyade argued that he did not steal the money but used it with the complainant’s permission while hospitalized at UCH, Ibadan, following a life-threatening accident. He requested the court to dismiss both charges.
In her judgment, Magistrate Abayomi acquitted Adiyade of obtaining money under false pretenses but upheld the charge of stealing N5.94 million. She stated:
“Based on the foregoing, I hold that the prosecution has proven the second count of stealing against the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt. Contrary to the defendant’s counsel’s submission, this is not a failed transaction but a clear case of unlawful conversion by the defendant.
“The court, considering the mitigating and aggravating factors, and in line with the Lagos State Sentencing Guidelines, recognizes that the defendant is a first-time offender and cannot be sentenced to the maximum. However, to ensure justice is served, the defendant is hereby sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for the charge of stealing.
“The term of imprisonment shall be reduced to 2 months on the condition that the defendant pays the complainant the outstanding balance of N5.56 million within two months.”
