KINGSLEY EBERE
A combined team of Police Intelligence operatives from the Lagos State Command have uncovered and arrested five suspects over their alleged involvement in the looting of a warehouse, stealing and buying stolen goods at Apogbon Market, Lagos Island.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the the suspects, Iwunze Ikechukwu Favour, 30, Chinedu Ngwoke,30, Kenechukwu Kingsley, 30, Arinze Uzokaku, 32 and Chinoso Iloene, 30, were arrested at Bello Street, Apogbon Market, Lagos Island, after they allegedly conspired and stole the goods belonging to a woman, Mrs. Okorie Ogechi.
According to the Police ,the prime suspect, Favour, was alleged to have broken the warehouse of the complainant, Mrs. Ogechi, looted the goods inside it and sold them to the other suspects at reduced prices.
However, the complainant reported the looting to the Commissioner of Police, who then gave directive to operatives of his Special Squad. They moved into action, eventually arrested the prime suspect, Favour and detained him for interrogation over the missing goods.
While being interrogated, he mentioned the other suspects who bought the goods from him. They were rounded up and arrested as well.
After interrogation, the Police found them culpable for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State and charged them before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
The charges read:
COUNT I: – That you, Iwunze Ikechukwu ‘m’, Chinedu Ngwoke ‘m’, Kenechukwu Kingsley ‘m’, Arinze Uzokaku ‘m’ and Chinoso Iloene ‘m’, sometimes June 2024 at about 1400hrs at No. 18 Bello Street, Apogbon Market, Lagos Island, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT II: – That you, Iwunze Ikechukwu Favour ‘m’ and four others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magistrate District, did steal goods valued N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) property of one Mrs. Okorie Ogechi ‘f’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 (1) (a) and punishable under Section 287 (5) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT III: – That you, Chinedu Ngwoke ‘m’, Kenechukwu Kingsley ‘m’ Arinze Uzokaku ‘m’ and Chinoso Iloene on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magistrate District, did receive goods from one Iwunze Ikechukwu Favour ‘m’ on cheap price, which you are fully aware that it was a stolen property and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 329 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
They pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector John Iberedem, 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, Mrs. E. Kubenije, granted them bail in the sum of N5m each 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 till 27th November, 2024, 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.