8th October, 2023
By Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Mushin Division, Olosan, Mushin of the Lagos State Police Command, Lagos have arrested a 26-year-old suspected Ladipo Market-based handset thief, Bakare Quadri and charged him before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing an iPhone 12 Promax valued N560,000 from the owner in broad daylight and escaped to use the phone to withdraw the sum of N100,000 from the account of the owner of the phone, Ishmaheel Faroq.
Police alleged that the defendant stole the phone by tricking the owner to help him with his phone to call someone because his phone battery was down and as soon as the complainant gave the defendant his phone, the defendant allegedly took to his heels and escaped.
Police further alleged that following the incident, the complainant reported the matter to the divisional police officer, DPO in charge of Mushin division SP Garuba Oseni who swiftly directed his crack team led by Inspector Patrick Owolabi to fish out the fleeing suspect anywhere he might be hiding and recover the stolen phone from him.
The police team swung into action and tracked the suspect to a hideout in Mushin and arrested him.
The defendant was charged before the Yaba Magistrates’ Court on a two-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and stealing.
Police prosecuting counsel, Chikwuebe Okeh told the court that the defendant committed the offence at Ladipo market, Mushin, Lagos.
Okeh informed the court that the defendant asked the complainant to help him with his phone to call someone because his phone battery was down, but that the defendant instead escaped with the phone to use it to withdraw the sum of N100,000 from the victim’s account before he was arrested.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sections 168 (d) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence and Magistrate L. Y. Balogun granted him N200,000 bail with one surety and adjourned the case.