2 Arraigned For Stealing N7.5m Clothes

The police on Monday arraigned two men, Taofeek Abaton and Yemi Taiwo, before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing N1.5 million worth of clothes.

Abaton, 25, of No. 3, Temidore St., Ikorodu and Taiwo, 27, of no fixed address, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecutor, Corporal Donjor Perezi, told court that the accused allegedly committed the offence between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. on 24 November at No. 504, Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

Perezi said items stolen included 72 cartons of baby wears valued at N500,000, 30 cartons of men’s clothes valued at N500,000 and 10 cartons of jeans valued at N500,000.

The prosecutor said the shop broken into by the accused belonged to one Mrs Onasanya Musili.

He explained that the first accused before the incident used to sleep in front of the shop at night while the second accused was a street urchin.

“A day before the theft, Mrs Musili’s bag containing N65,000 disappeared mysteriously but she did not report the incident to the police.

“But on the day the shop was broken into, when Abaton was arrested, he claimed to have seen Taiwo and others, still at large, during the operation,” Perezi said.

He said the offences contravened Section 409 and 285 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate, Mrs B. Folarin-Williams, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case to 3 December.