Three boys aged between 15 and 17 years who allegedly stole N11,500 and a mobile phone valued at N4,000 on Monday escaped being burnt to death by an irate mob.
It was gathered that the boys stole the items inside the St. Paul Anglican Church at Ologbo village in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of Edo State.
The timely intervention of the police saved the boys from being lynched by the mob, who have placed tyres on them after beating them severely.
The boys were identified as Goodluck Benson, Omoruyi Isaiah and Ediomwan Desmond.
However, a mild drama played out when one of the suspects who were arraigned at a magistrate court in the State on a four- count charge of stealing and belonging to an unlawful society called Blade, told Chief Magistrate Esohe Bazuaye that he was 17 and not 19 as written by the police on the charge sheet.
This infuriated the magistrate who asked why they were not taken to a juvenile court instead of bringing them to a regular court.
The boys told the magistrate that they were from poor homes and that they were not arrested at the crime scene, adding that they confessed to the crime because the mob threatened to kill them.
Magistrate Bazuaye appealed with the Pastor in charge of the church, Rev. Johnson Nwatamuojor, to forgive the boys and collaborate with the court to rehabilitate them.
Bazuaye told Rev. Johnson that if the suspects were sent to remand, they would become criminals.
She said “Has God not given you the assignment to win souls? We can turn the lives of these kids around by making them become something better in the future.
“No child is too difficult to be placed on the right path. As a man of God, the church can pay for their upkeep. Their present situation is not their fault. It is the parents.
“Don’t give up on them. You have lots of sheep. These are part of the weak ones.”
Reacting to the incident, Rev. Johnson noted that he was happy that the suspects were apprehended and he could not stop the police from doing their job.
The suspects were later sent to the juvenile court.
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