MICHAEL AKINOLA
Two women, Folake Aluko, 49 and Shomade Sidikat,42, have been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly conspiring to steal spaghetti at a branch of Jendol Supermarket.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 4th March, 2024 at Jendol supermarket at Egbeda, where the first suuspect, ‘Folake Aluko, was employed as a staff.
She was alleged to have been stealing the items and selling them to the second suspect, Shomade Sidikat, before they were caught.
The management calculated that 16 cartons of spaghetti worth N1.100m was stolen from the supermarket since the first suspect was employed and handed her over to the Police at Idimu Division for interrogation.
She was then detained at the station for interrogation over the missing items. And while being interrogated, she confessed that she was selling the items to the second suspect, who was also arrested and detained at the station.
After thorough interrogation, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal law of the State which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, FOLAKE ALUKO ‘F’, SHOMADE SIDIKAT ‘F’ and one others now at large on the 4th day of March 2024 at about 06:00pm at Jendol supermarket, Egbeda branch Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II:-“That you, FOLAKE ALUKO on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal sixteen cartons of spaghetti valued one million one hundred thousand naira N1,100,000 property of Jendol supermarket ably represented by one Franca Nwacasa ‘F’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT III:-“That you, SHOMADE SIDIKAT ‘F’ on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did dishonestly receive half carton of spaghetti three times from one Folashade Aluko ‘F’ having reason to believe same to have been stolen and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 378 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Nigeria 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Njue, then 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. T.A.Popoola, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 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 at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.