Three in court over alleged theft of N1.2m, phones

The police on Friday arraigned three men, Raphael Mustapha, 21; Toreed Akinyode, 20, and Dare Faremi, 28, who allegedly stole N1.2 million and two phones worth N100,000.

The defendants, whose addresses were not provided, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

They, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Insp. Evenly Ehiemua told the court that the trio and some others still at large committed the offences on Dec. 4, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. at Ile-epo, Oke-Odo, Agege, Lagos.

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She alleged that the defendants attacked the complainant, Mrs Iyabo Busari, and snatched her handbag containing N1.2 million and two Android phones worth N100,000.

Ehiemua said that the defendants attacked the complainant on her way to a bank and she raised an alarm.

According to the prosecutor, some passersby helped to apprehend the defendants and hand them over to the police.

Ehiemua noted that the conspiracy and stealing respectively contravened Sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 411 provides for two years’ imprisonment for conspiracy.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Daodu, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

Daodu adjourned the case until March 18 for mention.

NAN