The Lagos State Police Command have arrested and arraigned a 56-year-old man, Remi Akinlami, 23 years after he allegedly stole a car worth N3.2million in the Egbeda area of the state.
He was arraigned before Yaba Magistrates Court 4 on July 10, 2023 on two counts of pretence and theft of property belonging to one Festus Ojabor.
The prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, said the defendant committed the offence in 2010, at Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos state.
He added that the suspect acquired an unregistered car from the complainant under the pretence to help him sell it but, did not remit the money to the owner of the car, after selling it without the original documents.
He said the offences contravened Section 280 (1) and are punishable under Sections 314, and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
The charge read in part; “That you, Remi Akinlami, sometime in 2010, at No A1, 11 Road, Gowon Estate Egbeda, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did obtain one Toyota Corolla 2007 Model grey colour (unregistered), valued at N3.2m, property of one Festus Ojabor, with the pretence of helping him to sell the car, a representation you knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 314 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
“That you, Remi Akinlami, on the same date, time and place, at the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal one Toyota Corolla, a 2007 Model grey colour (unregistered), valued at N3.2m, property of one Festus Ojebor and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280(1) and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
Akinlami pleaded not guilty to the charges. Magistrate O.A Salawu granted him bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum. She also adjourned the case till September 21, 2023, for mention.
In related news a Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court in the Federal Capital Territory has sentenced a 25-year-old farmer to 12 months imprisonment over theft of church properties.
The convict, Salisu Sule was accused of invading the Fire and Miracle Ministry in Ruryi Zuba to steal glass pulpit and wheelbarrow.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal trespass and theft and begged the court for leniency.
The prosecutor, Chinedu Ogada told the court that the complainant Emeka Ucheara of Dangerou Fire and Miracle Ministry Ruryi Zuba, Abuja, reported the matter at Zuba Police Station on January 4, 2023.
He further narrated how the accused trespassed into the complainant’s Church at Zuba through the fence without his consent at about 11pm on that same day. Ogada said that the convict stole the church glass pulpit valued at N100,000 and a wheel barrow.
He said Sule was in the process of carrying the stolen items outside when he broke the church glass pulpit but was caught in the act. The church then handed the suspect over to the police for investigation.
Delivering judgment, Saminu Suleiman, handed down 12 month sentence but gave the convict an option of N40,000 fine. Suleiman also ordered Sule to pay N140,000 as compensation to the complainant and warned him to desist from committing crime.
The prosecution counsel said that during police investigation, the convict made a confessional statement but could not give a satisfactory account of his actions. He said the iron rod was recovered from the convict and the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 348 and 288 of the Penal Code.
