Judiciary & Court
Man jailed for playing Bet9ja without paying
An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court has sentenced a 23-year-old painter, Oluwatobi Olaore, to 14 days’ imprisonment for playing N7,000 lotto (bet9ja) and refusing to pay.
An Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court on Thursday sentenced a 23-year-old painter, Oluwatobi Olaore, to 14 days’ imprisonment for playing N7,000 lotto (bet9ja) and refusing to pay.
The Magistrate, Mr Sam Obaleye, sentenced the painter who pleaded guilty to the charge.
Obaleye, however, gave the painter an option of N20, 000 fine.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Adejoke Adebari, told the court that the painter committed the offence on April 27 at 8:30p.m. at Ijaye area of Abeokuta.
Adebari said that the defendant entered into the shop of one Zainab Tejuoso and played bet9ja game of N7,000 knowing that he did not have any money to pay.
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She submitted that the defendant also refused to drop the ticket he used to play the game, and was about running away when he was apprehended and handed over to the police.
The prosecutor added that the painter conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace.
She said that the offence contravened Section 249 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.
Ubaso
May 28, 2022 at 4:59 pm
I think the author is right that playing bet9ja without paying can lead to jail time. I also think that the option of a fine is a good idea.
I’m not sure if the penalty is too harsh, but I understand why the courts would want to discourage this behavior.
Thanks for sharing this information!