Verdict on Aregbesola’s phone thief generates mixed feelings

Not even up to a week now, when the news of the verdict given to a man who stole Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the Gov. of Osun state's N50,000 worth of phone, the cloud was fume and people reacted to the verdict given to the accused person, actually he was given 45 years imprisonment for steal phone and luring out N700,000 from 2 contacts from the phone. The judgement had gone viral on social media, see and read the reactions of people towards the verdict...

There was outrage on various social media platforms on Tuesday over the 45-year jail term handed down to 31-year-old Kelvin Ighodalo for stealing a phone worth N50,000, belonging to Governor Rauf Arebesola of Osun State.

He committed this crime during the inauguration of the governor on November 27, 2010 at Government Technical College, Osogbo.

Justice Oyejide Falola of an Osogbo High Court, who heard the case, found Ighodalo guilty on six counts, which included conspiracy, stealing and fraud. He sentenced him to 10-year imprisonment for the first three counts and five years for each of the last three, which included impersonation, obtaining property by falsehood and collusion. But the sentence will run concurrently, which means that he will spend 10 years in prison.

The judgment has gone viral on social media platforms. Many who commented on it described it as ‘too harsh.’

Some others wondered if the heavy penalty on Ighodalo was because he stole from a Very Important Personality in the person of a sitting governor.

Though they all agreed that Ighodalo’s action was wrong and should not go unpunished, they argued that the justice system in the country was selective, punishing only the masses and giving highly placed Nigerians who commit similar criminal offences, a pat on the wrist.

A visitor to punchng.com with the name, Krown, says the verdict shows that the application of criminal laws in Nigeria is favourable to the “political elite and hundreds of their appointees and associates as well as the affluent, wealthy and the powerful in our communities.”

He adds, “I believe the verdict handed down to Ighodalo by Justice Oyejide Falola for 45 years behind bars raised the eyebrow about our entire justice system and why our laws only apply to ordinary Nigerians when it comes to stealing, fraud, forgery, impersonation, deception (in the name of country and people) while our political crooks walk-free regardless of their various crimes!”

Another comment on punchng.com, by Aramide, says though Ighodalo deserves to be punished, the jail sentence is outrageous.

She argues, “In the same country, we have bias in delivering judgement to similar crimes. Nobody is applauding crime but what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

“How much is the whole money he defrauded people of, compared to the pension thief? Yakubu Yusuf did not only steal but also sent so many people to their early graves and denied so many a great future, yet he got N750, 000 option of fine.”

A member of the popular online forum, nairaland.com, Ade Mutiu, asked if the judge passed the harsh judgement in a bid to please the state governor.

He laments, “Sincerely, I just can’t comprehend this. This is outrageous and funny. Forty-five years for stealing a phone? Was it because he stole from a governor or what? So many questions running through my mind.

“The guy stole, fine! He needs to be punished. But why are political thieves not given 45years jail term? Seriously, I am just sad over this. I’m not encouraging such from a young guy but then 45 years is simply too much.”

Meanwhile, another school of thought argues that though the judgement is harsh, it will deter many Nigerians contemplating on taking to crime.

Tunji, on nairaland.com, says, “Some people are justifying what the guy did with an excuse that those in the helm of affairs steal more than what the guy stole. Fine! We all know there is inequality in the land and the judicial system isn’t fair to the ‘commoners’ but doing the same thing (stealing), which we accuse our leaders of doing, is not the way out.

“If all masses resort to stealing, I’m sure we all will be sleeping with one eye closed because we’ll always be our own prey. Our leaders’ kleptomaniac nature isn’t an excuse for us to see spade and call it a tool for digging instead of its real name. The guy deserves the jail term if not for anything, at least for going back to crime after serving a jail term earlier.”

Corroborating Tunji’s claim, an anonymous reader on lindaikeji.blospot.com says despite the ‘skewed’ nature of the justice system, the punishment serves Ighodalo right.

“Stealing is not okay for him, yet he went on to impersonate with the governor’s phone, collecting money from people fraudulently. He deserves what he got. When he is done with the jail term, I am sure he will stay away from crime forever,” the reader explains.

Also, on punchng.com, Akeula Taiwo notes, “We should not justify wrong with the similar wrong. Don’t you know the pension fund case Judge (Justice Abubakar Talba of the FCT High Court) has been suspended? What else could a man who had temerity to pick an elected governor’s pocket, and by that action, defrauded others not do to look for money? Such person is a dare-devil criminal.”

Ighodalo was said to have used the phone to obtain N500, 000 from the Owa of Ilesa, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, and another N200, 000 from Mr. Shengen Rahman, an associate of the governor.

Source:Punch

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