KINGSLEY EBERE
Six men, Waje John, 22, Yemi Ademola, Yemi Ademola, 42, Abdusalam Muhammed, 23 and Charles Markus, 33 and Adebayo Timothy, 26, have been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly carting away company’s property worth N167m.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Water Point Street, Shasha, Lagos, where the company, Dinovic Industries Limited, is located.
According to the Police, the suspects allegedly stole cut-off plates worth the said amount of money but did not disclose if they were workers in the company and how they managed to steal items valued at such amount of money.
The matter was reported to the Police at Shasha Division. The suspects were arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over the alleged offence.
After interrogation, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
COUNT I: “That you, Waje John ‘m’, Yemi Ademola ‘m’, Abdusalam Muhammed ‘m’, Charles Markus ‘m’, Adebayo Timothy ‘m’, and others now at large on or before 25th November, 2024 at No.1 Water Point Street, Shasha 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, Waje John ‘m’, Yemi Ademola ‘m’ Abdusalam Muhammed ‘m’, Charles Markus ‘m’, Adebayo Timothy ‘m’, and others now at large on the same date, at about 1.00pm at same place in the aforementioned Magisterial district, did steal off-cut plates valued N167,000,000.00 (One hundred and sixty seven million Naira) only, property of Dinovic Industries Limited and thereby committed an offence under Section 280 and punishable under Section-287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, 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, Ms. K.A. Ariyo, granted them bail with two sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned till 14th January, 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.