15-year-old, others jailed 5 years for escaping custody

On Tuesday, a 15-year-old boy and three others were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for escaping from police custody in Osun State, TopNaija reports.

The minor appeared alongside other defendants – Abeeb Adeleke (20), Segun Ishola (18), Maliq Odewale (18) – before Mr Abayomi Ajala of an Osun State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Osogbo.

The defendants, arraigned on three counts of escape from lawful custody, conspiracy and damage to police property, were first dragged before the court on July 28, 2020.

The prosecutor, Kayode Adeoye, during their arraignment, informed the court that the defendants on July 27, 2020, escaped from the Dugbe Police Station, Osogbo, around 3am.

He added that the defendants wilfully damaged an iron door and roofing sheets of the station before they escaped.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, are punishable under sections 516, 135(a) and 451(b) of the Criminal Code Cap. 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

The defendants all pleaded guilty to the three counts. The defence counsel, Adedoyin Ajewole, urged the court to be lenient with his clients.

The Magistrate, Mr. Abayomi Ajala, subsequently convicted them and adjourned the matter till Tuesday, October 6, 2020, for judgement.

Upon their return to court on Tuesday, Ajala sentenced the four defendants to five years’ imprisonment.

He, however, gave them an option of paying N9,000 fine each, with six strokes of cane.