Cobbler to spend 25 years in prison for stealing mobile phone

A Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, has sentenced a 25-year-old cobbler, Joseph Jericho, to 25 years in prison for stealing two laptops and three mobile phones from a student.

The convict, who resides in Ilaje, Ebute Meta, Lagos, was charged before Justice Raliat Adebiyi on two-counts of conspiracy and armed robbery.

Jericho had pleaded not guilty to the charges against him when he was arrainged.

While pronouncing the sentence, Justice Adebiyi noted that the prosecution had proved it’s case against the cobbler beyond reasonable doubt.

“The defendant is hereby to 25-years in prison each for the offences of conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery.

“The sentence shall run concurrently and shall begin from the period of his remand,” Adebiyi said.
Counsel to the defendant, Mr. S. A. Aigoro, in his allocutus had appealed to the court to temper justice with mercy.

“The defendant has been in prison custody since 2011, I pray that this court have mercy on him,” he said.
According to the prosecuting counsel, Mrs O. Ahmed-Muili, Jericho committed the offences alongside others who are now at large on June 26, 2011 at No. 4, Baale St., Ilaje, Ebute Meta, Lagos.

Jericho and his accomplices while allegedly armed with guns and cutlasses, robbed Mr Ifesinachi Ogodo, a student, of his two laptops, three mobile phones and N5,000.