Thursday, June 18, 2026 - An Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court has convicted and sentenced a woman, Rukayat Temitope Lawal, to one year imprisonment for stealing and selling a Toyota Sienna vehicle belonging to her United States-based lover, Jubril Ogundana.
Delivering judgment in Charge No. MAK/NC/483C/2022, Chief
Magistrate Lateef Abu found the defendant guilty of unlawfully converting the
vehicle to her personal use and subsequently selling it.
The case stemmed from a dispute between the defendant and
the complainant, who had maintained a romantic relationship and business
association before the complainant relocated to the United States in 2018.
The prosecution had initially charged Rukayat with
conspiracy, forgery and stealing alleging that she fraudulently claimed
ownership of the vehicle valued at N2.8 million and presented documents,
including a forged marriage certificate, to support her claim.
According to the prosecutor, Oniyere Taiwo, alleged offences
were committed sometimes in July, 2021 at about 11:00am at Oluwafemi Quarters,
Aule, Akure
During the trial, the complainant told the court that he
imported the Toyota Sienna into Nigeria in 2020 for use in his business and
entrusted it to the defendant while he was abroad.
He denied ever marrying the defendant, insisting that she
was only his girlfriend and employee.
The prosecution called four witnesses and tendered several
exhibits, including vehicle registration documents, police statements, and
records obtained from the marriage registry of Ekiti East Local Government.
In his judgment, Magistrate Abu held that ownership of the
vehicle was sufficiently established through the registration documents
tendered by the complainant, which showed that the Toyota Sienna was registered
in his name.
The court noted that although the defendant challenged the
ownership of the vehicle and maintained that she had contributed money towards
its purchase, the prosecution succeeded in proving that the vehicle belonged to
the complainant.
The magistrate ruled that the defendant fraudulently converted the vehicle and later sold it despite ongoing disputes and investigations surrounding its ownership.
“Flowing from the foregoing, I find the prosecution has established that the defendant fraudulently took or converted the Toyota Sienna property of the Olorunfemi (PW4),” the court held.
The court consequently convicted Rukayat for stealing by a
person having an interest in the property under Section 388 of the Criminal
Code, having found the offence proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
In sentencing, Magistrate Lateef expressed displeasure over
the defendant’s conduct, noting that despite the prolonged disputes and police
investigations initiated by the complainant, she proceeded to dispose of the
vehicle.
“I find it distasteful that the defendant, who had been
harassed by PW4 using several police formations, could still proceed to sell
the vehicle,” the magistrate stated.
The court sentenced the defendant to one year imprisonment
with an option of a N100,000 fine.
The magistrate also ordered the defendant to pay N2.8
million compensation to the complainant, representing the value of the stolen
vehicle.
While acknowledging that the original purchase receipt of
the vehicle was not tendered, the court held that the existence and ownership
of the vehicle had been established.
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