This Man In Lagos Is Going To Jail For The 6th Time

A 25-year old man, Hope Ariyo, has been sent to prison for the sixth time for committing various crimes in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.

The Edo State-born Ariyo was charged before Ijeshatedo Magistrates’ Court for burglary and stealing with his friend, Rasheed Ademola, 26. The two friends were arrested after they allegedly broke into an auto shop at 7, Aje Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos and carted away auto spare parts worth N250,000, the property of Chika Okpara, a spare parts dealer in the area.

The suspects were allegedly caught breaking into the shop by residents of the area and they were handed over to the police at Ilasa division who arraigned them in court for burglary and stealing. While Ademola pleaded guilty to the two-count charge, Ariyo pleaded innocent and started crying in the court.

Ariyo pleaded with the presiding magistrate, Mrs. A. Davis, to release him because he knew nothing about the matter.

Ademola was infuriated by Ariyo’s pretence, and told him to shut up.

Ademola told the court to ignore Ariyo’s crocodile tears of innocence because he is a thief who had gone to prison five times for his criminal offences.

Ademola revealed in the open court that he and Ariyo live in the same house at 18, Aje Street, Ilasamaja and became friends when they discovered that both of them are thieves and decided to ‘work’ together.

He said Ariyo hails from Edo State, while he is from Ibadan in Oyo State, southwest Nigeria and lives with his mother. Ademola confessed that they usually go out at night and early in the morning to burgle people’s shops and steal their property.

He challenged Ariyo to tell the court what he was doing outside their house while others were still sleeping on the day that he was arrested.

The revelation shocked Ariyo who later admitted before the court that he had gone to prison several times for breaking the law.

Ariyo confessed he knew that Ademola broke into the shop and when he brought the stolen items to their residence, he kept them for Ademola.

After he was exposed him in the court by Ademola, Ariyo stopped crying and raised his hands to change his plea to guilty but he was ignored by the presiding magistrate.

The matter was adjourned, while the two friends were remanded in prison custody.