21st April, 2011
An Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, has discharged a housemaid and a mechanic standing trial for burglary and stealing.
The housemaid, Shade Adeshina, 36 and Kehinde Akinola, a mechanic, were arraigned on a three-count charge of theft by detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, on 2 February, 2011, for stealing jewellery and wrist watches valued at N3 million, belonging to Mrs. Baderinwa Yetunde of MOQ 1141, Nigeria Air Force Base, Ikeja, Lagos.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum. While the mechanic was able to perfect his bail, the housemaid, a mother of one, was remanded in prison custody when she could not meet the conditions attached to her bail.
Discharging the accused, the presiding magistrate, Mrs. Helen Omisore, said since the complainant has failed to come to court on all the adjourned days, this shows that she is not interested in prosecuting the matter.
She ordered the release of the accused and struck out the case.
—Paul Sanusi