3rd June, 2011
The police at Shagamu Road Police Division, Ikorodu, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, have arrested two suspected thieves of building iron rods and arraigned them before the Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court on a two-count charge of stealing.
The police alleged that the accused person, Emmanuel Sunday, 21 and Gabriel David, 21, were arrested when they allegedly entered the premises of Pulkit Alloy and Steel Ltd to steal 20 pieces of building iron rods valued N250,000.
Nemesis caught up with them when they were sighted by good Samaritan while loading the stolen items into a truck. The good samaritan raised an alarm which drew attention to the theft.
The accusd, it was learnt, took to their heels, but were pursued and caught.
Policemen who were invited arrested and took them to the station. During investigation, they allegedly confessed to the crime and were charged before the court on a two-count charge of stealing, offences according to the police prosecutor, Inspector Fola Takunbe, are punishable under Section 516 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap. 17, vol. ii, laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2004.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and the presiding magistrate, Mr. A. A. Adesanya, granted them bail in the sum of N120,000 each and sureties in like sum.
The magistrate also directed that one of the sureties must be a blood relation while the other must be a community leader and adjourned the matter till 23 June, this year.
—Paul Iyoghojie