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.
The convict, who had no legal representation, was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on malicious damage and stealing. He pleaded guilty to both charges when they were read to him.
The prosecutor, Augustine Omhenihen, told the court that Adedayo committed the offence alongside another suspect who remains at large.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred at about 8pm on July 15, 2026, at St. Thomas Anglican Primary School, Akure, where the defendant and his accomplice unlawfully and wilfully damaged parts of the school building.
Omhenihen said the damaged roofing sheets were valued at about ₦9,000, adding that the defendant also unlawfully removed the roofing materials from the school.
The prosecutor 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.
Following the defendant's guilty plea, Omhenihen informed the court that Adedayo and his fleeing accomplice had previously attempted to steal roofing sheets from the same school but escaped arrest.
He said the pair later returned to the school on the day of the incident to carry out another attempt but were intercepted by residents and security operatives, leading to Adedayo's arrest, while the second suspect escaped.
The prosecutor urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence, arguing that the defendant had admitted committing the offence and that the circumstances of the case warranted a deterrent punishment.
In his judgment, Magistrate O.T. Lebi observed that although Adedayo was a first-time offender, the offence was serious because it involved the destruction of public property.
The magistrate subsequently sentenced the defendant to six months' imprisonment on the count of malicious damage and another six months on the stealing charge.
The court, however, ordered that both jail terms should run concurrently, meaning the convict will serve the sentences at the same time.
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