Housemaid slumps in court after receiving 28-year jail sentence for stealing

by Rachel Ogbu

Lagos State Chief Judge, Ayotunde Philips (Photo: Punch)

30-year-old Mary John, a housemaid in Lagos has received a 28 year jail sentence for stealing her mistress’ jewellery estimated at N35m.
John was said to have slumped after receiving the verdict, but was quickly resuscitated and carried out by prison warders.
In her defense, John said she was hypnotised by strangers she had met on the road and they made her lead them to her boss’s residence in Ajah as they broke through the burglar proof door to steal the items in July last year.


She also said they took her to an herbalist’s house and was told to keep it a secret else she dies.
But the magistrate, Aje Afunwa in her ruling said the defendant had changed her story from what was in her written statement where she actually confessed to the crime.
“In her evidence, she confessed to breaking the door, climbing the house and stealing the jewellery,” she said.
“I choose to believe more the defendant’s written statement than her oral evidence which is an attempt to shift the blame to another person. I believe her oral statement is a figment of her imagination.
“More so, hypnotism or superstition is a phenomenon which is not admissible in law.”
The Punch reports:

 According to reports, the convict had been arraigned since September 2012 on four counts of conspiracy, entry, breaking and stealing.
Her mistress, Mrs. Esohe Kadiri, a lawyer, said she stole wristwatches valued at N9m, bangles and bracelets worth N10m, diamond set worth N8m, rings worth N3m, chains and pendants worth N5m, and a camera priced at N100, 000, which all totalled N35, 100,000.
Kadiri, in her evidence before the court said John took advantage of her travel outside the country to perpetrate the theft.
She said she was alerted to the crime by her sister, and after challenging John on phone, she suddenly became incommunicado.
Together with three other witnesses- Kelvin Ikeagwe, Francis Ugbem and Inspector Patrick Onu- 34 exhibits were tendered to nail the accused.
Afunwa said John did not show any remorse or regret for her action and hence deserved full punishment for her action.
She said, “I strongly believe that the defendant stole the items by herself with the help of another person who is at large.
“In view of the rampancy of such a crime where house helps, clerks and servants engage in the stealing of the property of their employer, this honourable court will not be lenient with the accused to serve as a deterrent to others.
“I therefore find the defendant guilty on the four counts of conspiracy, breaking, felony and stealing. She is to serve a prison term of seven years on each count, with hard labour, and the terms are to run concurrently for a maximum of seven years.
“And probably while serving her jail term, she would have a change of heart and probably confess as to where the jewellery is.”

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