Three men who allegedly stole household items worth N1.470million were on Monday arraigned before Chief Magistrate A.O. Layinka of an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
The accused are Musa Abba, 49, a resident of Lagos, as well as Lawal Suleiman, 42, and Adebayo Samuel, 48, both residents of Matogun area of Ogun .
The trios are standing trial on a three-count charge of burglary, stealing and receiving stolen goods.
The prosecutor, ASP Edet Okoi, told the court that Abba, who was employed as a security stole some household equipment from one Oseni Rasaki, the complainant.
Okoi said the theft took place sometime in October at No. 5, J. Bash Avenue. Oshorun Heritage Estate in Isheri, Lagos State.
He said that the items stolen include: three television sets, one set of LG sound system and cell phones worth N1.470 million.
According to the prosecutor, Suleiman and Samuel bought the items for N150, 000 from Abba, knowing that they were stolen items.
The prosecutor said that the goods were stolen from Rasaki’s apartment while he was out of the country.
He said that Rasaki had sent his brother, Akeem, to his house to pick up some things, only to discover that some unknown persons had burgled the house.
Okoi said that the defendants were later arrested by anti-crime policemen at Isheri.
He said that during the police investigation, the accused could not give a satisfactory account of how they came about the said items.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287, 307 and 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 328 stipulates 15 years’ imprisonment upon conviction.
Chief Magistrate O.A. Layinka granted the first accused N500, 000 bails with two sureties, while the second and third accused were given N300,000 bail with two sureties in like sum each.
She said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and have properties in Lagos.
The magistrate added that they must also provide evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Layinka adjourned the case until January 23, 2018, for a mention.
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