Housemaid sent to prison for stealing employer’s N25m jewelries

By Paul Iyoghojie

The Police at the Maroko Division, Lekki, Lagos have dragged a housemaid, Ngozi Edeh before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly stealing her employer’s jewelries valued at N25m.

A Police source alleged that the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Maroko Division, Lekki, SP Isah Abdulmajid ordered his men to arrest the maid following a complaint by the complainant, Roy Oshinbolu.

During investigation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime that some suspected fraudsters lured her to steal her employer’s jewelries for them.

The maid allegedly stated: “On the day of the incident, I entered a cab at the bus stop to the market and on the way, the two occupants inside the cab sprayed concoctions on my face and they commandeered me to take them to my employer’s house where I packed all my employer’s jewelries and handed it over to them.

“I later regained my consciousness after the suspects had left and it is not my intention to steal my employer’s jewelries.”

The accused from Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria was charged before the Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a two-count of felony to wit, stealing.

Police Counsel, Cyriacus Osuji told the Court in charge No N/17/2019 that the accused committed the alleged offence on 11 March, 2019 at 16, Professor Kunmi Akingbehin Street, Lekki Phase I, Lagos.

Osuji informed the court that the complainant, Roy Oshinbolu reported to the police that he left his maid at home for work, but that before he returned, his maid entered into his room to steal his box of jewelries valued at N25m.

He said that the offences, the maid committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the court and Magistrate M.O Ope Agbe granted her bail in the sum of N10m with one surety in like sum.

Ope Agbe adjourned the case till 8 April, 2019 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Kirikiri Prison, Apapa, Lagos till she perfected the bail conditions.