Man Jailed For Damaging Mosque’s Padlocks

A Mapo Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan, on Tuesday, sentenced one Kazeem Salako, 55, to one month in jail for maliciously damaging padlocks to a mosque.

Delivering judgment, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Latunji, convicted and sentenced Salako after nearly two years’ trial.

Latunji found the convict guilty of count two, malicious damage, but discharged him of count one, which was conspiracy.

She also discharged Yusuf Abubakar, 46, the second defendant in the case of the two charges, for lack of evidence.

“Therefore, Salako is found guilty of maliciously damaging the two padlocks of the mosque.

“He is hereby, sentenced to one month imprisonment or an option of N10,000 fine.

“In addition, Salako shall pay N10,000 for damaging the padlocks,” Latunji held.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Oluseye Akinola had told the court that the convict committed the crime on Sept. 16, 2024, at Oni-gari Street, Ayegun, Ibadan,

He said that all the witnesses called testified that Salako and Abubakar had made it clear to the rest of the congregation that their own form of Islamic doctrine was different and that they could do whatever pleased them.

The prosecutor also explained that the two men were fond of wearing slippers and shoes into the mosque, an action that contradicts Islamic practice.

According to him, the community that made use of the mosque had an agreement that the mosque should always be locked anytime they were not praying.

“But Salako had a contrary view and broke the padlocks and one of the windows when he wanted to use it,” Akinola said.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the provisions of Section 249 of the Criminal Code 38 vol. ii law of Oyo State 2000

However, in his rebuttal, Abubakar informed the court that he had travelled out of Ibadan on the day of the incident and could not have conspired with anyone to damage the padlocks.