Dismissed Police Officer Jailed For Stealing Generator

A 28-year-old former policeman, Young Dennis, who was dismissed from the force on charges of stealing a Nokia phone has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for stealing a Yamaha generator valued at N14,000. Prosecutor, Sgt. Paul Inedu, had told the court that Dennis stole the generator at the Iponri Police Barracks on May 16, 2012.

 Dennis pleaded guilty to one count of theft, which contravened Section 285, Criminal Code Laws of Lagos, before Senior Magistrate F. Kayode. The jail term was without an option of fine. Meanwhile, 32-year-old Emmanuel William, was on Wednesday sentenced to three and half years imprisonment by the same court for stealing N40,000 brocade fabric and escaping from jail after he was arrested. 

 Prosecutor Lucky Ojogo told the court that on July 8, 2012, William stole four bundles of brocade fabric belonging to Emeka Ogbo at G.U.O Transport Co. Ltd. park in Iddo, Lagos. The next day after he was arrested, he broke through the ceiling of his cell and escaped. The prosecutor said William destroyed the property of another building in the area in the process of escaping. 

 Ojogo said, “On the said date, after escaping from jail, William wilfully damaged the walls and ceiling of G. Cappa Plc, which was valued at N39, 000. “He broke into the building and offices of G. Cappa Plc with intent to maliciously damage the structure and escaped.” He was arraigned on four counts, which contravene sections 285, 106 (a), 348 and 308 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos, 2011. He pleaded guilty to the charges.

 Kayode sentenced him to six months with option of N20,000 fine in the first count of theft but on the second count of jail break, he was sentenced to 18 months with hard labour with no option of fine. Kayode sentenced him to 12 months with hard labour and no option of fine in the second count of destruction of property. The malicious damage of a property attracted six months of hard labour with no option of fine. The sentences are to run concurrently.

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85-year-old woman, man, 18, charged for stealing

An 85-year-old woman, Taiwo Ayodeji and Nosiru Isa, 18, on Thursday appeared before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrates' Court charged with stealing a Blackberry phone and other valuables.

The police prosecutor, Insp. Augustine Ozimini, told the court that the alleged offences were committed on February 23, at about 9 p.m. at Abule Oyun Street, Lafenwa in Abeokuta.

Ozimini said that the octogenarian conspired with the teenager to commit felony, stealing and breaking into the room of one Mr Raheem Olusola.

According to him, apart from the blackberry phone, the accused stole one gold necklace, one palmtop computer, six shirts, shoes, jeans, WAEC and GCE certificates.

He added that N75,000 cash was also missing in the complainant’s room, adding that that "the total value of the items stolen is N244,000.

The police prosecutor said that the alleged offences were contrary to and punishable under Sections 516, 411 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code of Ogun, 2006.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the old woman, Ayodeji said, "I was only trying to help him because there was flooding as a result of downpour.

"I don’t have the strength and that is why I called our neighbour who is also his friend (Isa) to help pack his property to the backyard.

"Nothing is missing from what we packed, how can the complainant now say that we have stolen his things is what I don’t understand."

She added that her intention was to save property of the complainant from further damage.

"I made several unsuccessful attempts to reach him (complainant) on phone to inform him of the incident,'' she claimed.

The counsel to the accused persons, Mr Michael Itiolu, also said that his clients were innocent of the charges.

He said that the complainant was a sub-tenant to Ayodeji because the apartment was transferred to him by someone who rented it from the defendant.

Itiolu, thereafter, applied for the bail of the accused persons, and gave the assurance that they would not jump bail.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Akeem Adenariwo, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N50,000 each, with one surety each in like sum.

He adjourned the case to May 28, for hearing.

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