22-year-old man jailed three months or fined ₦30,000 for stealing seven chickens in Ekiti.
Court hears he strangled birds after cutting poultry net; convict pleads guilty, begs for mercy.
A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced a 22-year-old man, Sunday Gmaed, to three months in prison after he confessed to stealing seven chickens worth N57,000.
The ruling was delivered on Friday by Chief Magistrate Kehinde Awosika. Gmaed had initially pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance but later changed his plea to guilty at a subsequent hearing. He also pleaded with the court for mercy. The magistrate gave him the option of paying a N30,000 fine instead of serving the full jail term.
According to the case presented by Police Inspector Elijah Adejare, the theft occurred on June 28 around 9:30 a.m. at a poultry farm situated in Odo village, along Ilawe Road in Ado-Ekiti. The chickens belonged to one Olaniyi Olasehinde.
Inspector Adejare told the court that Gmaed forcefully entered the farm by cutting through the poultry’s protective net and strangled the birds before stealing them. The offence was said to be in violation of Section 302(1)(a) of the Ekiti State Criminal Law, 2021.
Gmaed was first arraigned on July 2 and granted bail in the sum of N20,000, with one surety. He later confessed to the crime on July 11.
