5th April, 2022
By Paul Iyoghojie
The Management of CDV Property and Development Limited, Lagos has dragged two men before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing and receiving stolen properties valued at N26,000,000.
Police alleged that the defendant, Victor Okafor, 23, alleged to be a site worker with the complainant allegedly stole 45 tons of iron rods, 80 pieces of Marine boards and 70 bags of cement valued at N26m.
Okafor in turn allegedly sold the stolen items to the second defendant, Hassan Audu, 26, and escaped.
Police further alleged that following the development, the complainant reported the incident to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos.
The AIG, therefore, directed his men to fish out the fleeing suspects.
The defendants were traced to a hideout in Lagos through intelligence gathering where the police arrested them.
They were charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court on a four-count charge bordering on stealing, receiving stolen properties and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
Police Prosecuting Counsel, Jimoh Joseph told the Court in the Charge marked M/19/2022 that the defendants committed the offence on 24 February, 2022 at Lekki, Lagos.
Joseph informed the Court that Okafor stole his employer’s N26m properties and sold them to Audu before they were both arrested.
He said the offences were punishable under sessions 411, 287, 168(d) and 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate S.A Gbajumo Ayoku granted them N1m bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
Ayoku adjourned the case till 20 April 2022 for mention.
He ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility till they fulfilled their bail conditions.