A 25-year old man, Babalade Tiko, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for allegedly conspiring and stealing 16mm Iron rods used in casting the base of electricity street light worth N3,000,000.00), property of Federal Government of Nigeria.
P.M.EXPRESS reports the incident happened on 18th September,2024, under the bridge at Trade Fair Complex along Badagry expressway, Lagos State.
According to the Police, the suspect and others now at large conspired in the early hours of the morning, carted away the items and sold them.
The following day, when the workers resumed for work at the place, they did not see the items and the matter was reported to the Police at Trade Fair Division. The operatives moved into action, arrested the suspect and detained him at the station for interrogation.
After interrogation, the Police found him culpable and charged him before the Ojo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence.
The charges read:
That you, Babalade Tiko and others at large, on the 18th of September, 20 about 1520hes, at Trade Fair Under Bridge, along Badagry Expressway, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos.”
Count II: That you, Babalado Tiko ‘M, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did dishonestly steal and cut to size 16mm Iron rods used in casting the base of electricity street poles valued three million naira (N3,000,000.00), property of Federal Government of Nigeria represented by one Agammayo Babatunde ‘m’, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287, of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
Count III: That you, Babalado Tiko ‘M’, ‘m’ and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district, did willfully and unlawfully damage cast base of Electricity Street poles valued (N3,000,000.00), property of Federal Government of Nigeria represented by one Agammayo Babatunde ‘m’, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 350, of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”
He pleaded guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Simeon Uche, presented the facts of the matter before the Court and asked the Court to sentence him accordingly to serve as deterrent to others who might want to commit such crimes in future.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr L.K.J Layeni, found him guilty as charged and sentenced him accordingly.