KINGSLEY EBERE
Police operatives from the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, have arrested four men, Joseph Ashinze, 60, Adio Wasiu Babatunde, 46, Vincent Nkume,48 and Afolabi Kolawole, 42 for allegedly conspiring and stealing eight empty containers worth N45m belonging to Gregory Okwudili Mejuru in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 27th February, 2025, at about 2000hrs, at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos..
According to the Police, the suspects and others now at large conspired and went to the place the complainant packed the containers and carted them away with the hope that the complainant will not know.
However, the containers were discovered to be missing during routine inspection and the matter was reported to the Police. The operatives moved into action, arrested the suspects and detained them at the Command for interrogation over the missing items.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The Court read:
COUNT ONE: “That you, Joseph Ashinze ‘m’, Adio Wasiu Babatunde ‘m’, Vincent Nkume ‘m’, Afolabi Kolawole ‘m’ and others still at large on 27th February, 2025, at about 2000hrs, at Amuwo Odofin, Lagos in the Lagos State Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit: Stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
COUNT TWO:”That you, Joseph Ashinze ‘m’, Adlo Waslu Babatunde ‘m’,Vincent Nkume ‘m’, Afolabi Kolawole ‘m’ and others still at large on the same date, time and place, in the Lagos State Magisterial District, did steal Eight (8) empty containers valued at Forty-Five Million Naira (N45,000,000.00), property of one Gregory Okwudili Mejuru ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Olatunde Kehinde, 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, Mrs. F.M.Kayode-Alamu, granted them bail with sureties, 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.