37-Year-Old Man Arraigned For Alleged N16 Million Car Theft And ATM Fraud In Ikeja

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE 

A 37-year-old man, Olamilekan Adepoju, has been arraigned before the Ikeja Magistrate Court for allegedly stealing a Hyundai Jeep valued at N14 million and withdrawing N2 million with an ATM card, totalling N16 million.

Adepoju was docked on Charge No. MIK/10/30/2026 before Magistrate Mr. L.A Owolabi of the Ikeja Magisterial District. The case was filed by the Commissioner of Police.

The police said the incident happened on July 6, 2026 at about 10:00am at  Oduduwa Way, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, within the Ikeja Magisterial District.

The defendant is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony and stealing, under the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Prosecutor SP Josephine Ihkayere told the court that Adepoju and others who are now at large allegedly conspired to commit felony to wit stealing.

According to the first count: “That you Olamilekan Adepoju ‘m’ and others now at large, on the 6th day of July, 2026 at about 1000hrs, at  Oduduwa way GRA Ikeja Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire with others now at large to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence Contrary to section 411 and punishable under Section 412 of Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”

The second count alleged that Adepoju and others at large on the same date, time and place did steal a black Hyundai Jeep with Registration No. EKY 869 JU valued at N14,000,000.00 and used an ATM card to withdraw N2,000,000.00, totalling N16,000,000.00, belonging to one Hemanshu Katira Pralad ‘m’.

The offences are contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The charge was prepared by ASP Emmanuel Ikwuta of Ikeja Division, with the approval of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Ogba. CSP Akinwunmi Oke was listed as part of the prosecution team.

When the charges were read to him in court, Olamilekan Adepoju pleaded not guilty to all the counts.

The prosecutor, SP Josephine Ihkayere, did not oppose bail but requested that bail be granted with stringent conditions to ensure the defendant appears for trial. She also asked the court for a date for trial.

The defence counsel applied for bail for his client on liberal terms, assuring the court that the defendant is a responsible citizen and will not jump bail.

In his ruling, Magistrate Mr. L.A Owolabi granted the defendant bail with two sureties who must show evidence of means of livelihood and evidence of tax payment.

Magistrate Owolabi ordered that the sureties must provide verifiable evidence of their source of income and must show proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The court further ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Correctional Center, Kirikiri Town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.

The case file has been forwarded to the DPP for further advice and the matter was adjourned to a later date for mention.

The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.