By Ngozi Njoku

An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday sentenced a 20-year-old undergraduate, Innocent Onyeoziri, to three years imprisonment  for stealing phones in a church.

The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, convicted and sentenced Onyeoziri, without an option fine.

The undergraduate, who resides on Adaranito Street, Famous Bus Stop, Alapere in Ketu, Lagos, had admitted guilt.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Lucky Ihiehie, submitted that Onyeoziri stole two phones worth N62,000 and a SIM card in a Redeemed Christian Church of God parish on Okunusi Street, Alapere on Dec. 13, 2016.

Ihiehie said that the phones belonged to Mr Oluwasanmi Olukunmi and Mr A. Agbolade, who reported the case along with one other persons, at the Alapere Police Post.

“On Dec 13, 2016 at 7.00p.m., the complainants were at the Redeemed Christian Church of God on Okunusi Street, Alapere for evening service.

“During the service, Oluwasanmi was charging his phone as well as the other two complainants – Jaiyeola and Agbolade.

“The accused came into the church and took the phones of Oluwasanmi, removed the SIM card in the phone of Jaiyeola and took the Injoo phone of Agbolade, and absconded,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said that it took Jaiyeola some time to track the convict through the SIM card he used to borrow airtime to the tune of N30,000.

“On May 10, the accused came back to the church area and was arrested,’’ Ihiehie said.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).