MICHAEL AKINOLA
Two suspected vandals, Divine Eric, 29 and Gift Ezekiel, 37, threw the Nigerian Army Military hospital inside the Barracks in Lagos State into darkness after invading the place and carting away cables worth N.5m which supplied electricity to the hospital.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Lower Myhoung Barracks, 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Yaba, Lagos.
The vandals were alleged to have conspired, carted away the cables and sold them to one Ashiru Abdul Ramon, who is presently in the Correctional Center.
They were arrested following information obtained by the Police at SCID Yaba, Lagos, who moved into action, arrested and detained them at the Station for interrogation over their alleged conduct.
During interrogation, the vandals reportedly confessed and mentioned the buyer, who was in custody for an undisclosed criminal offence which landed him in prison.
The Police found them culpable and charged them before the Yaba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
The charges read:
COUNT 1: “That you, Divine Eric ‘M’, Gift Ezekiel ‘M’ and others still at large, on 9th July, 2024, at about 2330hrs at Lower Myhoung Barrack, 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Yaba, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Conspiracy and Stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal law of Lagoo State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT 2:” That you, Divine Eric ‘M’, Gift Ezekiel ‘M’ and others still at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal by unlawfully cutting armoured cables that supplied light to LOWER MYHOUNG BARRACK YABA, valued five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000) property of 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Yaba, which was sold to one Ashiru Abdul Ramon, who is presently in the Correctional Center and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287(6)(9c) criminal law of Lagos State 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. P.E. Nwaka, granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.