LAGOS: An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a make-up artist, Tunde Ebikeme, to community service for stealing beauty products valued at 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 magistrate said the convict got only community service as punishment because he had a good skill which he needed to sharpen.
Mrs Ope-Agbe warned Ebikeme against committing a crime 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 matter.
Osuji said Ebikeme committed the offence on June 26 at Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I, 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.
