The Nation Newspaper

Tag: stealing

  • Man docked for escaping from police custody

    A 22-year-old man, Gerald Ogwu, who allegedly escaped from police custody after being arrested for stealing N75,000, was on Tuesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Ogwu is facing trial on a two-count charge of stealing and unlawful escape.

    The prosecutor, ASP. Nurudeen Thomas, told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 16 at No.87, Ilaje Road, Bariga.

    Thomas said that the accused stole N75, 000 and an Itel Phone belonging to his employer- Ozone Water- and also escaped from the police custody during interrogation.

    Read Also: Police  arrest suspected members of fake dollar syndicate in Gombe

    He said that the offence contravened Sections 106(b) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kike Ayeye, admitted the accused to a bail of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum.

    Ayeye adjourned the case until Aug.16 for mention.

  • Man to sweep court for stealing N15,000 make-up

    An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday sentenced a make-up artist, Tunde Ebikeme, to community service for stealing beauty products valued at N15,000 from a supermarket.

    Magistrate M. O. Ope-Agbe convicted Ebikeme, 24, following his plea of guilty to a one-count charge of stealing.

    She ordered him to sweep the court’s premises from the fourth floor to the ground floor.

    The magistrate said the convict got only community service as punishment because he had a good skill which he needed to sharpen.

    Mrs Ope-Agbe warned Ebikeme against committing a crime because he could be sent to prison the next time.

    She said: “Prison will not be better for you. I want you to get better with your make-up job. But if you go back to crime, you will be sent to prison.”

    The magistrate delivered judgment after prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji stated the facts of the matter.

    Osuji said Ebikeme committed the offence on June 26 at Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I, Lagos.

    According to him, the convict entered the supermarket, bought and paid for some items, but concealed other items in his pockets and attempted to leave without paying.

     

  • No one can accuse me of stealing, says Buhari

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that nobody can accuse him of stealing.

    Buhari, who was  receiving a delegation of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria at the State House, Abuja, said: “You cannot accuse me of stealing.”

    He said he had no regrets being a person of honesty and integrity.

    According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said: “I am satisfied with what I am. I am happy I have kept myself and people close to me from benefiting from government’s contracts.”

    The President added that he did not award contracts and did not care about who got them so long as they did a good job at a cost that is justifiable to the nation.

    He said: “I have been in many places, including Ministry of Petroleum. I would have gone to jail, if I had taken an oil well. For integrity and honesty, I have no regrets. By this, I have contributed to my social safety. I won’t go to jail.”

    The President, who said he had been accused of many things, said his critics cannot accuse him of stealing.

    He went on: “I have appointed ministers and they are in charge. I appeal to their integrity. When they come here (Federal Executive Council) Chambers, we ensure they follow the due process. If I owned an oil well, I would have gone to jail.”

    Buhari also responded to a number of issues raised by the delegation, including complaints that Muslims had been marginalised in appointments to government institutions such as the military and the civil service.

    The President said this illustrated how difficult his job is because he faced the same criticism from adherents of other faiths.

    “I am in a difficult situation,” he admitted.

    On the burning issue of violent conflicts in some parts of country, Buhari said he was putting in his best to curtail them.

    He said that following his dissatisfaction with the performance of the Police in Zamfara State, he ordered a massive transfer of officers and men who had stayed three years and above in the troubled state.

    The President appealed to the religious leaders to instruct their followers on the importance of possessing their own voters’ cards, which he described as a “national entitlement”.

    He also urged them to preach justice to all, which is an instituted pillar of Islam.

    Buhari, who revealed that he had received a “stiff bill” from the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, for the restoration of the dilapidated infrastructure and facilities of Federal Government-owned radio stations in all states of the federation, promised that something would be done.

    Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria Vice-President Sheikh Hadiyyatullahi Abdulrashid, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, hailed Buhari for accomplishing much of what he promised before his election.

    He likened him to the captain of a capsizing ship and the messiah needed by the country.

    Sheikh Abdulrashid also spoke about the alleged marginalisation of Muslims, violent conflicts between farmers and herders, the problems of drug abuse among youths, the fate of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna and other issues.

  • Pastor jailed 10 years for stealing

    A white garment church pastor, Ajayi Pius, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

    He was arraigned on a three-count charge in June, 2013.

    The cleric was charged with felony, stealing, fraudulently taking and converting N350,000 put in his care for house rent.

    The “stolen money” was said to belong to Rufai Sefunmi Mercy while the crime was committed at Falana area of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

    The police prosecutor, Monica Ikebuilo, called three witnesses after Pius pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Pius gave evidence on his own and called a witness.

    The presiding magistrate, Mrs Dupe Akosile, held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Pius on the first two charges.

    But she discharged and acquitted him on the third charge.

    Pius was sentenced to six months imprisonment for felony and stealing with an option of a N5,000 fine.

    He also bagged six months imprisonment for fraudulently taking and converting N350,000 also with an option of N5,000.

    The jail term was to run concurrently while the fines are to be paid in cumulative.

    Pius paid the option of fines.

  • Security guards appear in court for stealing tricycle

    Two security guards, Gideon Onyinye and Samson Adelahan, who allegedly stole a tricycle valued N655,000 appeared on Monday before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    The duo, were arraigned before the magistrate, Mrs F.F George, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    Onyinye, 28, who resides at Ijoko in Ogun and Adelahan, 50, who lives at Alagbado, Lagos, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Awase, told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 14 at F.O Filling Station, Alakuko, Lagos.

    He said that the accused stole the tricycle belonging to the complainant, Mr Azeez Ashamu.

    “The complainant parked his tricycle at the filling station, where the accused work as guards for a fee.

    “When he went back there the following morning to retrieve the tricycle, it was no longer where he parked it and the accused could not give account of how it got missing,’’ he said.

    Awase said the case was reported to the police and the accused were arrested for questioning.

    The offences violated Sections 285 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 285 stipulates a three- year imprisonment for stealing while Section 411 prescribes a two-year jail term for conspiracy.

    George, in her ruling, granted the accused bail in the sum of N250, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    She said the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned until June 26.

    NAN

  • Trader held for ‘stealing’ motorcycle

    An Ikeja Magistrates Court yesterday remanded a 26-year-old trader, Musa Mathias, in Kirikiri Prisons for alleged theft of a motorcycle.

    Magistrate A. I. Abina ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison until Monday.

    Mathias, who lives at 5, Jinadu Street, Agege is facing a one-count of stealing contrary to Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Ishola Samuel said the defendant committed the offence on May 3 at 152, Dopemu Road, Agege, Lagos.

    Samuel said the defendant sneaked into the house at night and stole a motorcycle.

    He alleged that the defendant stole a motorcycle marked LAR 494 QC valued at N85,000 belonging to the complainant, Mr Philip Adaji. The machine was parked in the complaint’s compound.

    According to him, Mathias was apprehended by members of a vigilance group.

  • Man held for ‘stealing’ groom’s phone

    35-year- old man, Aremu Isiaka, was yesterday arraigned at an Osogbo Chief  Magistrates’ Court after allegedly stealing a cell phone at a wedding ceremony.

    Aremu is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    Prosecuting Inspector Fagboyinbo Abiodun told the court the defendant committed the offence on Saturday, about 1:30 pm  at the wedding reception in Osogbo.

    Abiodun said the defendant stole a Tecno C7, belonging to the complainant, Mr Shittu Adeshina

    “The defendant was apprehended when the missing phone was found on him after the number was dialled’’ he said.

    Abiodun said the offence contravened sections 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Law of Osun, 2003.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    His counsel, Najite Okobie, urged the court to grant his client bail in liberal terms.

    Magistrate Olubukola Awodele granted the defendant N20,000 bail with one surety in like sum.

    Awodele said the surety should reside within the court’s jurisdiction and show evidence of tax payments to Osun government.

    The case was adjourned till June 7.

  • Customers arrested for ‘stealing’ sex workers’ phones

    Some Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested two men, Semiu Obanla, 35, and David Edet, 32, who specialised in robbing commercial sex workers of their phones and valuables.

    The suspects, RRS said, sold the stolen items to other prostitutes in Lagos and Ogun states.

    According to a RRS statement, the suspects were arrested in a hotel at Abule-Egba after a stolen phone was tracked to them.

    The suspects, described as customers were said to have stolen from the women to recover their money.

    RRS quoted Obanla as saying: “David and I met at a site in Ikorodu as labourers. Apart from working as a labourer at construction sites, I also assist smugglers at the Idi Iroko border to load, offload goods.

    “Sometime in February, I reconnected with David and invited him to work at the border post after his attempts to raise money through ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ failed. We connived to start stealing phones and valuables from our dates and prostitutes because we do visit brothels for sexual pleasures after our daily work.

    “After drinking at a bar in Atan, Ogun State that night, David and I proceeded to negotiate with prostitutes in order to enjoy our night. Before approaching the prostitutes, we planned to steal their valuables.

    “The plan was successful. We had two unsuspecting prostitutes who believed we were good customers. They did not know our motive. We agreed for N5,000 for a night for each of the prostitutes. We paid N3,000 for lodging at a nearby motel we used regularly.

    “The plan was for David to sneak into my room around 3am, steal my phone and the prostitute’s. In the morning we began to look for the phones, to the point that even the hotel workers joined us. After that, we left with her phone which was an itel android and we sold it for N20,000 to another prostitute in Abule-Egba called Cyndi. We shared the proceeds.”

    Obanla allegedly told RRS that they also stole the phone of a woman he met in a public bus and later took out for a date.

    He said: “In April, I met a lady in a public transport while David and I were going from Atan to Idi Iroko. I spoke with the lady whom I later invited to our regular drinking bar.

    “On the fateful day, as usual, David and I planned how to steal the lady’s phone and flee the scene. When the lady arrived, David and I sat separately to avoid being spotted together.

    “I used the lady’s phone till the battery went low. I offered to help her charge the phone inside the bar. She agreed and released it to me.

    “I kept the phone in my pocket and told her I was helping her charge it. I then pretended I was receiving calls, and stepped outside the bar from where I fled on a motorcycle. David followed suit.

    “We proceeded to the Abule-Egba brothel to sell the phone as usual. We sold the phone to a sex worker. It was there RRS officers arrested us with some of the stolen phones.”

    Police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP) said two android phones were recovered from them, adding that they have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) at Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

  • Suspects: Indian hemp trafficking better than stealing

    Two suspected drug traffickers arrested by the Niger State Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have said dealing in Indian hemp is better than stealing.

    The suspects, 27-year-old Muyideen Jimoh, from Ogbomosho in Oyo State,and 31-year-old Moses Oduaran, from Ughelli in Delta State, were arrested for allegedly trafficking 1,459 kg of substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Indian hemp).

    They were nabbed in Kontagora Local Government while about to sell the hemp, to repair their vehicle.

    Oduaran, suspected to be the leader, said he did not regret his action.

    He added that he regarded selling Indian hemp as a genuine business, since he had never been arrested by the police.

    “This is better than stealing. I know how to go about this business. I regard it as a profession.

    ‘’We met our Waterloo in Niger State. I have been into selling of weeds for years without harassment. Honestly, I regard it as a genuine business until NDLEA officials apprehended us.”

    Oduaran said they used fowl dung to conceal Indian hemp before taking it to the place where it would be sold.

    Jimoh said he acted as a middleman between Oduaran and his customers in Rafi Local Government.

    “Once Oduaran brings Indian hemp from Ondo State to Niger, it is my responsibility to distribute it and collect money on his behalf. I have been doing this for years and I make more money from it than my tailoring job.”

    Addressing reporters, NDLEA Commandant Sylvia Egwunwoke said the matter was being investigated.

     

  • Suspect arraigned for ‘stealing’ air conditioners

    The police yesterday arraigned Ayuba Danfilia at a Kado Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly stealing two air conditioners.

    Prosecutor Zannah Dalhatu said Segun Adegbola of Orozo, Abuja, reported the matter at Utako Police Station, Abuja, on April 9.

    He said the defendant, on the same date, allegedly stole two air conditioners, valued at N180, 000 from Wraper Resource Centre, Utako.

    Dalhatu said the offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.

    Justice Alhaji Ahmed Ado granted the defendant N50, 000 bail, with one surety in the like soon. The case case continued on May 2.