Jimoh pleaded guilty to stealing 17 tubers of yam and told the Osogbo Magistrate Court that he acted out of hunger. He was sentenced to three years in prison with hard labour, without an option of fine.

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Falana described the punishment as excessive and called for a more humane sentencing policy in Nigeria.

“Why should the government waste scarce public resources to jail someone for stealing food out of hunger?” he said, arguing that even in capitalist countries, courts are increasingly recognising that stealing food out of desperation should not be criminalised.

He revealed that steps were already being taken to appeal both the conviction and sentence.

Source: Punch