A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has sentenced a 28-year-old welder, Tobi Babatunde, to four years imprisonment for stealing poultry feed mill equipment valued at N1.3 million.

Babatunde was brought before the court on a three-count charge of burglary and theft. According to the police prosecutor, Nelson Akintimehin, the crime took place between June 2024 and July 2025 at a poultry farm located in the Mopol Barracks area of Owode, Akure North Local Government Area.

The court heard that Babatunde unlawfully entered the poultry farm, owned by Veronica Titus, and stole two electric motors from the feed mill, each valued at N650,000.

Despite Babatunde’s plea, the prosecution urged the court to hand down a stiff sentence to serve as a warning to others who might consider similar crimes.

Magistrate O. Omotosho, after reviewing the evidence and Babatunde’s own confession, found him guilty. The court ruled that his actions violated Sections 423 and 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

In delivering judgment, Magistrate Omotosho sentenced Babatunde to two years imprisonment on the first count, with an option of a N200,000 fine, and one year each on the second and third counts, with an option of N50,000 fine each. The sentences are to run concurrently.

This means Babatunde will serve a total of four years in prison unless he pays the fines. The judgment is seen as part of efforts to discourage burglary and theft in the state.