For allegedly absconding with a tricycle valued at N1 million, a 29-year-old rider, Dauda Johnson, on Friday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
Johnson, a resident of Capitol Road, Agege, Lagos, is being tried for stealing. According to the prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the accused committed the offence in October at Pen-Cinema, Agege.
Ayorinde said that the accused absconded with a tricycle given to him on hire purchase by Mrs Folake Kareem.
“The accused bolted with the complainant’s tricycle,” he said.
Ayorinde submitted that Kareem bought the tricycle for N700,000 and gave it to the accused on hire purchase for N1 million.
“The complainant gave her tricycle to the accused on hire purchase with an agreement that he would be giving her N20,000 every week till he finishes the payment.
“Immediately, the accused collected the tricycle, he disappeared with it to an unknown destination and refused to pick the complainant’s phone calls.
“He was later arrested and taken to the Pen-Cinema Police Station,” he said.
The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(revised), according to the prosecutor.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Section prescribes three years’ jail term for stealing.
The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offence and was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.J Awope, ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The case was adjourned until January 12, 2018, for mention.
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