An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday sentenced a make-up artist, Tunde Ebikeme, to community service, for stealing beauty products worth N15, 000 from a supermarket.
Magistrate M. O. Ope-Agbe convicted Ebikeme, 24, following his plea of guilty to a one-count charge of stealing.
She ordered him to sweep the court’s premises from the fourth floor to the ground floor,The Nation reports.
She explained that the convict got only community service as punishment because he had a good skill which he should try to get better at.
Ope-Agbe warned Ebikeme to never involve himself in crime again because he could be sent to prison the next time.
She said:
“Prison will not be better for you, I want you to get better with your make-up job, but if you go back to crime, you will be sent to prison.”
The magistrate delivered judgment after prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji stated the facts of the case.
Osuji told the court that Ebikeme committed the offence on June 26, at Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
According to him, the convict entered the supermarket bought and paid for some items, but concealed other items in his pockets and attempted to leave without paying.
The stolen items are: two nail polish worth N10, 000, two Ushas Eye blow pencil worth N2, 000; two hair beauty born to glow worth N2, 000 and one Honda
beauty Eye lashes worth N1, 000.
The total amount of all the items stolen was N15,000.
“The defendant tried to leave the supermarket with the items he stole before a supermarket attendant accosted him.
“It was the CCTV inside the supermarket that detected that Ebikeme stole the beauty products.
“The supermarket attendant complained to the police that it was the second time Ebikeme stole from the supermarket,” Osuji said.
The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
