CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
Three men have been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court over an alleged warehouse break-in and theft of fabric materials valued at Twenty-Seven Million Naira, N27,000,000, in the Abule Egba area of Lagos.
The defendants were Olorunfemi Collins, aged 50 years, Adeyemi Eshilokun, aged 37 years, and Taofeek Lawal, aged 31 years.
They were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and breaking into a warehouse to steal. The charges were read to them in court. They pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
The case was marked as Commissioner of Police vs Olorunfemi Collins and Two Others.
The matter was heard before Magistrate Mr. L.A. Owolabi. The prosecutor in the case was SP Josephine Iykayare.
Prosecuting, SP Iykayare told the court that the defendants and others still at large allegedly committed the offences on the 2nd day of October, at about 2:00 a.m., at Ekoro / Command Road, Abule Egba Area of Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District.
On Count One, the prosecution alleged that the defendants and others at large conspired among themselves to commit felony, to wit: stealing. The offence, according to the charge, is punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
On Count Two, the prosecution alleged that the defendants and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, constructively broke into a warehouse and stole fabric materials valued at Twenty-Seven Million Naira, N27,000,000, property of one Fayemi Oladayo. The offence is contrary to Section 307 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
After the charges were read, the defendants pleaded not guilty to both counts. Their counsel applied for bail on their behalf, urging the court to grant them bail in liberal terms.
Magistrate Owolabi granted each of the defendants bail with two sureties. The court ordered that the two sureties must show evidence of means of livelihood and evidence of tax payment.
The magistrate further ordered that the defendants be remanded in the correctional centre at Kirikiri Town, pending the perfection of their bail conditions. The matter was adjourned for further hearing.
It is important to note that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. The charges against them are allegations by the prosecution. The court has not made any finding of guilt against any of them.
The case will continue on the adjourned date, when the prosecution is expected to open its case and call witnesses, including the complainant and the police officers who investigated the matter.