CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
A Magistrates’ Court sitting in the Ikeja Magisterial District, Lagos State, has arraigned a 25-year-old woman, Christiana Eno-Essein, for allegedly conspiring and stealing the sum of Seventeen Million Naira (N17,000,000) belonging to one Bimbo Amedu.
The defendant, Christiana Eno-Essein ‘F’, aged 25 years, was brought before the court following an investigation by operatives of the Isheri Police Station, Lagos, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Sade.
According to the official charge sheet before the court with Charge No: *MIK/…/A 8/96/2026*, a copy of which was sighted by http://P.M.EXPRESS, the alleged incident occurred on the 4th of August, 2026, at about 1400hrs at No. 3, Farouq Abawabo Drive, Isheri North GRA, OPIC Estate, Lagos State, within the Ikeja Magisterial District.
Police investigation revealed that the defendant allegedly conspired with one other person, who is currently at large, to commit the alleged offence.
The defendant is facing a two-count charge preferred against her by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command.
Count one states that Christiana Eno-Essein ‘F’ and one other at large on the 4th of August, 2026, at about 1400hrs at No. 3, Farouq Abawabo Drive, Isheri North GRA, OPIC Estate, Lagos State, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, allegedly conspired between yourselves to wit, stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Count two states that Christiana Eno-Essein ‘F’ and one other at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, allegedly stole the sum of Seventeen Million Naira (N17,000,000), property of one Bimbo Amedu ‘F’, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
When the charge was read and interpreted to the defendant in a language she understood, she pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following her not guilty plea, the Police prosecutor, *SP Josephine Ihkayere*, applied to the court for a date for hearing to enable the Police to assemble its witnesses and present evidence to prove the allegations against the defendant.
The prosecutor informed the court that the Investigating Police Officer is INSPR Oluwadare Temitope and that the case file has been forwarded to the District Prosecutor’s Office, Ogba, and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Lagos State Ministry of Justice for legal advice, as indicated with OPP APPROVED stamp on the charge sheet.
In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, *Mr. L.A. Owolabi*, granted the defendant bail with two sureties.
The court ruled that the sureties must show satisfactory evidence of their means of livelihood and must present up-to-date tax payment clearance certificates to the Lagos State Government.
Magistrate Owolabi further ordered that the defendant be remanded in the *Correctional Center at Kirikiri town* pending when she will perfect her bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned for mention to allow for hearing and for the Police to present its witnesses.
http://P.M.EXPRESS gathered that the complainant, Bimbo Amedu, alleged that her N17m was missing after the defendant and her accomplice, who is still at large, gained access to her premises at Isheri North GRA.
Legal experts note that under Nigerian jurisprudence and in line with Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.