An Akure Magistrate’s Court in Ondo State has sentenced a 26-year-old man, Samuel Douglass, to 12 months in prison for stealing four baskets of fresh tomatoes valued at N140,000.
Douglass was convicted after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of stealing brought against him by the police.
The prosecutor, Taiwo Oniyere, told the court that the defendant committed the offence in July 2026 at about 6am at Fourth Gate, Afunbiowo Estate, Akure, within the Akure Magisterial District.
Oniyere said the tomatoes, valued at N140,000, belonged to Douglass’ employer, Abimbola Akintomide.
He told the court that Akintomide had instructed the defendant to deliver the four baskets of tomatoes to a driver at Ilesa Garage.
The prosecutor, however, said Douglass allegedly sold the tomatoes instead and converted the proceeds to his personal use.
The offence was said to contravene Section 390(6) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
Following the defendant’s guilty plea, his lawyer, Adeluyi Segun, urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Segun described Douglass as a young man and a first-time offender, and asked the court to consider an option of fine rather than imprisonment.
In his ruling, Magistrate Olusola Olujobi sentenced Douglass to 12 months’ imprisonment.
The magistrate also ordered the convict to pay N140,000 to the complainant, representing the value of the stolen tomatoes.
The court directed that failure to pay the N140,000 would result in the defendant serving the custodial sentence.
