By Deborah Akpede
Ikeja – The police on Monday arraigned a driver, Isiaka Adeyanju and a motor boy, Oluwatosin Olaniokun, in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing 243 crates of big stout worth N1.1million.
Adeyanju, 45, driver, resident of Orile-Agege, Lagos and Olaniokun, 28, motor-boy, who lives resides in Ibadan, were being tried for conspiracy, stealing and damage.
ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the Police Prosecutor told the court that the defendants committed the offence on May 19 at Iju Road Lagos.
He said that the defendants stole 243 crates of big stout valued at N1.1million property of AA Logistics Nigeria Ltd.
“The defendants were sent to deliver the goods to a customer but called some hours after that the truck had accident.
“They claimed that hoodlums had carted away 243 crates of the drinks.
“On getting to the scene, the complainant discovered that the accident was feigned by the defendants,” he alleged.
He said that the complainant also noticed that the defendants intentionally used the truck to hit a shoemaker’s shop where the other 217 crates were maliciously damaged.
Ayorinde said that the case was reported and the defendants were arrested.
The offence, he added, ontravened the provisions of sections 287(7), 350 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 (7) prescribes seven years jail term for stealing while section 350 attracts two years for damage.
Following their pleas of not guilty, Magistrate B .O Osunsanmi, admitted them to bail in sum of N300,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Osunsanmi ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidences of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until Aug.21.