AN 18-year-old auto mechanic, Michael Martins, who allegedly sneaked into a restaurant and stole a phone valued at N39,000, was on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
Martins, who resides in Iju area of Lagos, is facing a charge of stealing.
According to the Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the accused entered a restaurant and stole an Infinix phone property of the complainant, Mrs Goodness Nwiwu.
“The accused entered the complainant’s restaurant to eat and he saw the owner of the restaurant plugging her phone to charge it.
“After he finished eating, he sneaked back into the restaurant and removed the phone from where it was plugged.
“The complainant suspected the accused because he was the only person that came to eat at that time.
“He was later arrested and he confessed stealing the phone which he sold to somebody for N3,000.
“The accused took complainant to the person he sold the phone to and when they got to his house, the accused on sighting them and the police, he ran away, ’’ the prosecutor said.
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The accused committed the offence on July 12, he added.
The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section prescribes three years jail term for offenders.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi granted the accused N100,000 with two sureties in the like sum.
Osunsanmi said the sureties should be gainfully employed with evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and fixed hearing for Aug. 13.
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