By Ngozi Njoku
Lagos – A 39-year-old Anthony Eze, who allegedly stole goods worth N615, 000, on Tuesday, appeared before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Eze, a resident of No. 125, Victoria St., Ojota, is facing a charge of stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp Donjour Perezi, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between December 2018 and April 2019 at No. 90, Victoria St., Ojota.
Perezi said that the defendant, a disc jockey and personal taxi driver to the complainant, Mrs Chidinma Amaechi, had been stealing goods from her fairly used goods’ store unnoticed.
The prosecutor said the defendant allegedly stole five Dell laptops worth N75, 000; 30 cartons of chandeliers worth N300, 000; 15 fire extinguishers worth N45, 000 and a Toyota Sienna headlight valued N15,000.
Perezi told the court that the defendant also stole a 2006 Toyota Corolla model radiator and fan valued N20, 000; a compressor worth N30, 000; a kick starter valued N5, 000 and a brain box worth N25, 000.
The prosecutor noted that Eze stole two alloy rims with tyres worth N40, 000 and three batteries worth N60, 000, totalling N615, 000.
He told the court that the complainant had been suspecting foul play for a while, but could not really pinpoint who was behind it until the defendant was caught stealing an item.
“All efforts to recover the items were unsuccessful as they had been sold,” the prosecutor said.
Perezi said the offence contravened Section 280(1)(a)(b) and punishable under Section 287 (7) (9) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section prescribes seven years jail term for stealing by clerks and servants.
Eze, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate, Mrs Bukola Mogaji in her ruling, granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case until Aug. 23 for mention.
