Court sentences man to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for attempted Nokia phone robbery in Lagos 

ARINZE NWAFOR, Lagos

An Ikeja High Court has sentenced a man, Suleiman Olasoda, to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour at the Kirikiri Correctional Center for attempting to rob a man of his mobile phone.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala delivered the judgement after the defendant, Olasoda, agreed to the terms of the plea bargain proposed by the prosecution, the Lagos State government.

During the proceeding, Ogala said the defendant had entered into a plea bargain with the state.

She asked the defendant whether anyone coerced him to take the plea bargain, but the defendant said no one did.

Justice Ogala said, “In pursuant to the plea agreement dated November 27, the defendant is to serve a sentence of 14 years imprisonment, which will commence from the date of remand in October 2016.”

Olasoda pled guilty to the amended charge of an attempted robbery which occurred on September 18, 2016.

The charge was read to him in Yoruba language and he opted for a plea bargain.

The prosecution, Uju Nwogazi, called three witnesses during the trial.

She told the court that the facts of the allegation were sufficient to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the prosecutor, the authorities arrested the defendant, a 29-year-old bus driver while he attempted to rob one Adedeji Oluwaseun of his Nokia phone in 2016.

The defence counsel, Kevin Okereke, did not object to the prosecution’s submission.