The Nation Newspaper

Tag: theft

  • Alleged $1.6m theft: Trial of airline, others resumes tomorrow

    The Federal High Court in Lagos has adjourned till tomorrow and Wednesday further proceedings in the trial of Emirates Airlines and six others.

    They were charged with conspiracy and stealing of four bags from a passenger Prince Chu Ikem Orji. One of the missing bags contained $1, 630,000million, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) said.

    Named in the 11-count charge are Emirates Airlines, Pathfinders International Limited, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, Abayomi Adekambi Abiola, Isiaka Adedeji, Awonubi Abayomi, George Ipekhia and others at large.The prosecution said they conspired on December 19, 2007 at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja to commit a felony by stealing four bags tagged EK 428682, EK 428583, EK 650162, EK 650161.

    Prosecuting counsel Mike O’Osong said they collected the bags from Orji after promising that they would keep them intact for onward delivery to him at Guangzhou China, but failed to do so.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge which the police said contravened Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act of 2004.

    On June 21, 2012, Emirates Airlines and six others filed motion to quash the charge on the ground that there was no prima facie (evident) case against them.

    Justice Mohammed Idris dismissed the application, following which they appealed. But, the Court of Appeal upheld Justice Idris’ refusal to quash the charge and dismissed the appeal.

     

  • Woman docked for stealing 11 kegs of Palm Oil

    Woman docked for stealing 11 kegs of Palm Oil

    An Ekiti based  woman, Dele Gbadura, on Thursday appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing of eleven kegs of palm oil.

    Police prosecutor, Sgt.Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 20, 2017 at Taye Fasuba Street, in Odo Ado Quarters, Ado-Ekiti.

    He alleged that the accused, on the said date, unlawfully stole the commodity valued at the rate of N110, 000, property of one Tairu Motunrayo.

    According to him, the offence contravened Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Vol.1, Laws of Ekiti State 2012.

    The accused pleaded not guilty while her counsel, Mrs. Adunni Olanipekun prayed the court to grant bail to her client in liberal terms, promising that she would not jump bail.

    Magistrate, Mrs. Modupe Afeniforo consequently granted bail to the accused in the sum of  the N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She adjourned the case to March 9 for further hearing.

  • Businessman jailed two years for burglary, theft

    A Jos Upper Area Court, sitting in Kasuwan Nama, yesterday, sentenced 20-year-old Ismail Abdullahi to two years’ imprisonment for house-breaking and theft.

    The Judge, Yahaya Mohammed, convicted Abdullahi after finding him guilty of the two-count charge of burglary and stealing.

    Mohammed, however, gave him an option to pay N20, 000 fine, after he begged for mercy, saying that he was a first time offender

    Prosecutor Sergeant Ibrahim Gukwat said the complainant, Ibrahim Usman, of Mista Ail village in Bassa Local Government Area, reported the case on January 5, at the divisional police station.

    The complainant, he said, returned home and discovered that unknown persons trespassed into his compound and stole from his apartment.

    The prosecutor told the court that some of the stolen items included a bag of sugar,  groundnut oil, N35,000, a DVD player, two cell phone chargers and other valuables, valued at N103,000.

    He said the complainant told the police that he suspected the convict, who at the time was at large.

    Gukwat told the court that when police detectives arrested the convict, they found in his possession some stolen items.

    He said the offence contravened sections 287 and 351 of the Penal Code.

     

  • Neighbourhood corps foils theft of electricity equipment

    The Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency has foiled a robbery attempt and theft of electricity equipment belonging to an electricity distribution company.

    The safety corps officers attached to Epe division, Ibeju-Lekki, foiled the theft  on December 25 at about 1am.

    The  corps Chairman,  Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG)  Israel Ajao (rtd), said the agency had received a call from  Almubaraq Olalekan  requesting for officers to safeguard some electricity equipment to be installed in the area.

    Ajao said: “Some electricity distribution officials had come to install some equipment at Imagbon-Alade town, Ibeju-Lekki and kept the equipment at the Baale’s house.

    “In view of the request, three Neighbourhood Safety Corps officers were deployed to the place.

    “Intelligence gathering revealed that some hoodlums that heard of Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s rural electrification project planned to steal the electricity equipment kept at the Baale’s house.

    “On December 25 around 1.08 a.m., the Neighbourhood Safety Corps officers saw one tricycle marked GGE 840 QD parked in front of the Baale’s house where the equipment were kept.

    “Four men came down and two of them passed through the left side of the house, moved straight to the window where the equipment were kept and forcefully tried to open it.

    “In the process, the corps officers apprehended two of them while the other two escaped.

    “When the tricycle was searched by the corps officers, a gun loaded with one cartridge was found in the back seat.”

    Ajao added that the suspects, Ishola Lawal and Omotosho Quadri were  handed over to the nearest police station along with other exhibits recovered from the scene.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one other suspect, Ilori Adeyemi was arrested on January 9 following increase in surveillance.

     

     

     

  • Seven charged with theft at Davido’s ’30b Concert’

    Seven men have been charged with robbing  a guest at hip-hop star Davido’s show at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, tagged ’30billion Concert’.

    They are Augustine Ode, 22; Yusuf Lawal, 26; Saheed Olasupo, 27; Babatunde Balogun, 28, Owoyele Moses, 27; Adewola Akinyeli, 28 and George Daniel, 27.

    They were arraigned on a two-count charge of stealing  before Magistrate B. I. Bakare sitting at Igbosere.

    Prosecuting police Sergeant Friday Mameh told the court  that the defendants are part of a 10-man gang, three of whom are at large.

    Mameh said the incident occurred last Wednesday at about 3am on the hotel’s premises shortly after the gang arrived.

    According to him, they were spotted by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bar Beach Division, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Olusegun Ajamolaya, who directed his men to monitor them.

    While the concert was ongoing, they allegedly attacked and beat up a guest, Oladapo Adeola, before dispossing him of N75,000 and a Techno Spark Plus K9 phone valued at N42,000.

    On sighting the police, three members of the gang escaped with the stolen items while the defendants were apprehended.

    Six pleaded not guilty.

    There was a stir in the courtroom when the seventh defendant, Balogun, pleaded guilty.

    Magistrate Bakare directed that the charge be re-read to him, which the court registrar did after enquiring a second time if he understood the content.

    “I understand the charge,” Balogun insisted, “I am guilty.”

    Magistrate Bakare granted each of the six defendants N50,000 bail and remanded Bakare in prison custody for facts and sentencing. The case was adjourned till January 30.

  • Musician held for alleged Xmas Day attack, theft

    A30-year-old musician, Peter Chinedu, was yesterday arraigned in an Ojo Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attacking a pedestrian and dispossessing him of his Samsung phone and money with a total value of N86, 000.

    Chinedu is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Inspector Uche Simeon told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 25 at about 3:30 a.m. at First Gate, Festac Town, Lagos.

    He said the accused and two others presently at large attacked the complainant, Mr Chikezie Nwakwo, who was returning home from a party, and dispossessed him of his phone and money.

    He said the accused and his accomplices waylaid Nwakwo and collected his Samsung phone and money.

    “While Nwakwo was struggling with the accused, his other two accomplices fled with the phone and money.

    “But the complainant held on to one of his attackers and raised the alarm, while people around came to his rescue, which led to the arrest of the accused,” he said.

    Magistrate A. A.  Adesanya granted the accused N200,000 bail with two responsible sureties.

    He said that one of the sureties must be a relative of the accused and the other a well-known musician in the country.

    The magistrate adjourned the case till February 13.

  • Man charged with attempted baby theft

    Man charged with attempted baby theft

    A man, Peter Nwabueze, was yesterday arraigned before an Ebute-Meta Magistrates’ Court for allegedly attempting to steal a twin baby

    Nwabueze, 38, was arraigned before Mrs Bola Folarin-Williams on a one-count charge of attempted stealing.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Kehinde Olatunde said the incident occurred at about 9:30am on November 13, at 4, Afolabi Close, Savage Gemade Estate, Idimu, Lagos.

    He alleged that the defendant broke into the complainant, Mrs Sherifat Ayorinde’s apartment and attempted to take one of her twins from the bed where he lay beside his brother and mother.

    According to him, Ayorinde’s scream attracted her neighbours, who ran into her apartment and helped to apprehend the defendant.

    Read Also: Court charges man with attempted murder

    Olatunde said the offence contravened Section 277 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Nwabueze pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Folarin-Williams granted the defendant N200,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case continues on January 30.

  • Domestic help held for ‘theft’

    A 25-year-old domestic help, Chizoba Ezugwu, was yesterday brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N50 million worth of jewellery.

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

    She pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Inspector Chinalu Uwadione told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 14 at 9.00am at 4, Bunmi Joseph Close, Gbagada Phase II.

    Uwadione alleged that the accused stole a set of jewellery valued at N50 million from her employer, Remi Joseph.

    Chief Magistrate Oluyemisi Adelaja admitted the accused to a N5million bail.

    She adjourned the case till January 22.

  • Man drags wife, son to court for ‘conspiracy, theft’

    Man drags wife, son to court for ‘conspiracy, theft’

    A 63-year-old Chinyere Obilonu, together with her son, Emmanuel Obilonu, 23, yesterday appeared in a Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State, for allegedly defrauding her husband of N177,000.

    The mother and child who live at Sharp Corner, Mararaba, are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft.

    Prosecuting Corporal Hamen Donald told the court Godwin Obilonu, a husband and a father to the defendants reported the matter at the divisional police station, Mararaba on November 15.

    Donald said the defendants had conspired with Adache Godwin and used the complainant’s mobile phone to transfer N177, 000 to their various accounts without the complainant’s consent.

    He added that N100,000 was transferred to a UBA account; N50,000, to an Access Bank account; and N27,000, to a Fidelity Bank account.

    The prosecutor said in the course of investigations, the account numbers were traced to the defendants.

    He said the offence contravened Sections 97 and 288 of the Penal Code.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    The Judge, Ibrahim Shekarau, granted the accused N50,000 bail each with a surety in the like sum.

    Shekarau said the sureties must live within the court’s jurisdiction and must deposit two of their recent passport photographs each.

    He adjourned the case till January 29.

  • NERC reviews penalties for electricity theft, others

    NERC reviews penalties for electricity theft, others

    The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has reviewed penalties for electricity theft, meter by-passing and other bad practices.

    The Commission said this would deter people from committing offences such as meter-tampering and theft.

    It said it  had been getting complaints from the power distribution companies (DisCos).

    In a circular titled: “Order on unauthorised access, meter tampering and by-pass” Order Number: NERC/REG/41/2017, jointly signed by the Commission’s Vice Chairman, Sanusi Garba and its Commissioner, Legal, Licensing & Compliance, Dafe C. Akpeneye, the Commission ordered DisCos to disconnect unauthorised distribution networks and impose a fine on the perpetrators.

    NERC added that any customer that tampered with a meter or  bypassed one would pay for the reconnection and other administrative charges.

    “Discos are authorised to back-bill customers who gain unauthorised access to electricity at the prevailing tariff of the customer for the established period of the unauthorised access,” it said.