Two men identified as Babatunde Olatunji and Tunde Afolabi were on Thursday, arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court in Badagry, Lagos State, for allegedly stealing money from dead victims of an accident along Lagos-Badagry expressway.
The Lagos police command charged Olatunji, 37 and Afolabi, 41 with conspiracy and theft. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor Inspector Ayodele Adeosun told the court that the duo committed the offence on July 9, at about 11 am, at the Muhammadu Buhari Bus Stop, on the Lagos-Badagry expressway, Age-Mowo, Lagos.
Adeosun said the defendants stole N34,350 from victims of an accident that claimed the lives of 18 passengers on the Lagos-Badagry expressway. He said the defendants were apprehended by the people at the scene of the accident and handed over to the police for prosecution.
According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.
Magistrate T. A. Popoola admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties in like sum.
NAN reports that Popoola ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed. He adjourned the case until Aug. 21.
Meanwhile in other news…
The Lagos state police command arraigned a 45-year-old lawyer, Kelvin Abiodun-Olu at a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos Island for allegedly stealing N19.2 million.
Abiodun-Olu who appeared before Magistrate T. O. Babalola, on Wednesday was also accused of destroying property worth N7.5 million.
The defendant was charged with five-counts bordering on conspiracy, stealing, malicious damage, assault, and breach of peace.
The prosecutor, ASP Francis Igbenose, told the court that the defendant and his alleged accomplices committed the offences between 28th of January and February 4th, 2023.
According to Igbenose, the incident took place at about 11pm at No. 34b, Talabi Street, Boet Estate, ABC Bus Stop, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos.
He alleged that Olu and others at large “stole two Crocodile shoes valued at N150,000, one brown belt valued at N375,000, one wallet valued at N225,000, two Nike shoes valued at N150,000, Movado wristwatch valued at N9,000.
Other stolen items include; ”Rolex wristwatch valued at N7,500,000, buckle sandal valued at N80,000, black wall frame with silver leaf valued at N60,000, Tecno Pop 6 (smartphone) valued at N65,000, Techo Pop 3 (smartphone) valued at N45,000 and eight bundles of new wrappers valued at N64,000.”
