Fake prophet sentenced to two weeks in prison for theft

An Iyaganku Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan has sentenced a 39-year-old man, Ezekiel Onikoyi, to two weeks imprisonment for stealing a woman’s handbag containing a phone, a power bank, and ₦4,000.  

Onikoyi, whose address was not disclosed, faced a three-count charge of stealing, obtaining money under false pretenses, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace. He pleaded guilty to all charges.

Presiding over the case, Magistrate Gladys Oladele found him guilty as charged and ordered that he serve his sentence at the Agodi Correctional Centre in Ibadan.

Oladele, however, gave the convict the option of serving one month of community service.

She held that the power bank, one of the things the convict stole from the complainant should be returned to her (complainant).

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Samuel Owolabi told the court that the defendant committed the offences on March 14, at 11:30 p.m., at the old Toll Gate on the Ibadan- Lagos Expressway.

Owolabi said that the convict disguised himself as a prophet and defrauded one Mrs Balikis Adeoti, who was returning from work.

According to the prosecutor, the convict, posed as pa rophet, intercepted Adeoti on her way and claimed to have a word of revelation for her.

He instructed her to drop her bag and walk a short distance to a junction to pray and leave a N100 note at the spot for her problems to be solved.

Owolabi said that Adeoti dropped her bag and followed the instructions, but on returning the fake prophet and her bag had disappeared.

He said that the convict had made away with her bag containing phones and a Power bank worth N220,000 as well as her N4,000.

The prosecutor said that the power bank was later recovered from the convict, but the phone was not.

He said the offences contravened Sections 390 (9), 419 and 249 (d) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.