A 24-year-old driver, Bolanle Olakanmi, on Wednesday, appeared in an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for alleged burglary and theft of 10 pieces of spaghetti.
Olakanmi, whose address is unknown, had pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary and stealing toilet soaps and N54, 400 cash.
The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Lucku Ihiehie, had told the court that the offences were committed on Sept. 16 at No 6, Akinpelumi Street, Ketu.
Ihiehie said the complainant, Adenowo Ogundipe, a cleric, reported the crime at the Ketu Police Station that same day.
“He said that at about 6:00 a.m. that day, he received a call from the community leader that his wife’s shop had been burgled and immediately he went to the place.
“He discovered that the burglary and the padlocks to the shop were broken to gain entrance into the shop and some things were stolen.
“The cleric states that 10 packets of spaghetti valued N2,000, bath soap valued N5, 500, a cash sum of N4, 400 for recharge cards and another cash sum of N50, 000 were carted away.
Ihiehie said the cleric’s wife and her sister told the police that on Sept. 13, the accused came to their shop pretending to buy popcorn, cheese balls and pure water, which he actually did but had to drag with the complainant’s wife.
“At another day, he came to spy on the shop, pretending to buy something which he did not buy before this incident occurred.
The offences contravened Sections 287 and 309(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes a three-year jail term for stealing while Section 309 stipulates seven years for burglary.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties.
Kubainje said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should also show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until Oct. 31 for mention. (NAN)
