An Ado-Ekiti Magistrate’s Court sentenced, on Thursday, in absentia, one Tunde Ogunrinde to two years imprisonment with hard labour over the theft of a motorcycle.

The police had arraigned Ogunrinde, 29, on Aug. 18, 2021, for allegedly stealing a Bajaj motorcycle worth N270,000.

The magistrate, Mr Olatomiwa Daramola, held on Thursday: “This court is fortified with the decision in the case of Maina versus Federal Republic of Nigeria (2022) LPELR-58942 (CA) to deliver this judgement in the absence of the defendant.

“I find the defendant guilty as charged, and I convict him accordingly. The defendant is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with hard labour or a fine of N20,000 in lieu of imprisonment.

“All security agencies are, by this judgement, put on alert to apprehend the fugitive wherever and whenever he is sighted to serve his term of imprisonment or to pay his fine in lieu of imprisonment.

“The motorcycle is hereby ordered to be sold and the proceeds kept in an account for six months, and if no one comes forward with a genuine proof of ownership for the motorcycle, then the proceeds shall finally be forfeited to the government in line with Section 290 (2) of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2014.”

Earlier, the prosecutor, Elijah Adejare, informed the court that Ogunrinde committed the offence on August 15, 2021, at 12:30 pm in Ado-Ekiti.

He said that the owner of the motorcycle had yet to be identified, noting that stealing contravened Section 383 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.