30th June, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
A businesswoman and importer who operates a shop at Balogun Street, Idumota, Lagos Island, Lagos, Onasanya Adetoun has dragged her two workers before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly using spare keys to open her shop after closing hours to steal wares valued at N22m and escaped.
Police identified the accused persons as Yunusa Adamu,3 0 and Solomon Mukaila, 30.
Police alleged that nemesis caught up with the accused when the complainant reported to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP in charge of the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad, FSARS at Adeniji Adele Road, Lagos Island, Mr Ibrahim Kaoje that she suspected her two workers to be the people who stole her wares valued at N22m from her shop and escaped.
Police alleged that the complainant said that she suspected her workers to be the perpetrator of the theft because there was no sign of breaking and entry into the shop.
Police further alleged that the complainant listed the wares allegedly stolen inside her shop to include various bundles of GTP ankara Supernice Big, Boviva and Vilisco ankara all valued at N20m
Others included five bales of Afagon and Cotonou ankara valued at N2m.
Police said that following the report, Kaoje despatched a team led by Supol Garuba Oseni to track and arrest the suspects and recover the stolen wares.
Detectives swooped on the accused persons at a hideout on Lagos Island after days of manhunt, arrested them and took them to the station.
During investigatiion, the suspects allegedly confessed to the crime that they duplicated the keys to their employer’s shop to steal the wares for a period of time and sold them out at give away price to traders they could not locate.
The accused were charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a three-count charge of felony to wit, conspiracy and stealing.
Police Counsel, Abraham Fadipe told the court in charge No B/43/2018 that the offences the accused committed were punishable under section 411, 267 and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 each with one surety each in like sum who must have proof of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Botoku adjourned the case until 14 July, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at Ikoyi Prison, till they perfected the bail conditions.