By Ameh Sunday
An Akure Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a scavenger, Ibironke Adedayo, to six months’ imprisonment for vandalising a public primary school and stealing roofing sheets from the premises.
Adedayo, who had no legal representation, was arraigned on a two-count charge of malicious damage and stealing. He pleaded guilty to both charges.
The prosecutor, Augustine Omhenihen, told the court that the convict committed the offences with another suspect who is still at large.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred at about 8 p.m. on July 15, 2026, at St. Thomas Anglican Primary School, Akure, where the defendant and his accomplice unlawfully damaged parts of the school building and removed roofing sheets valued at about ₦9,000.
Omhenihen told the court that the offences contravened Sections 451 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
The prosecutor further disclosed that Adedayo and his fleeing accomplice had previously attempted to steal roofing sheets from the same school but escaped arrest. He said they later returned to the school to carry out another theft but were intercepted by residents and security operatives, leading to Adedayo’s arrest, while the second suspect fled.
Following the defendant’s guilty plea, the prosecution urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, arguing that the circumstances of the case warranted stiff punishment.
In his judgment, Magistrate O.T. Lebi noted that although Adedayo was a first-time offender, the offence was serious because it involved the destruction of public property.
The court sentenced the convict to six months’ imprisonment for malicious damage and another six months for stealing but ordered that both sentences run concurrently, meaning he will serve both jail terms at the same time.
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