Some night guards in Owode community in Osogbo, capital of Osun State, have arrested a commercial driver, Idris Alabi, for allegedly robbing residents of the area of their goats.
The 35-year-old suspect was said to have been caught with two goats in his Toyota bus with registration number GNN757XA, around 5:40am.
But the suspect, while speaking, denied the allegation, saying his friend was the one that stole the goats.
According to him, he had given his bus to his friend, identified as Gani Alabi, before he received a telephone call from him that the vehicle had developed fault at the Owode area and that he should come over.
Alabi said he was arrested few minutes after getting to where the bus was abandoned by his friend.
He explained, “I am a driver, who transports people from Old Garage, Osogbo to Ilorin, Offa. I gave my friend, Mr Gani Alabi, my bus at Osogbo city stadium around 5:00am, but at about 5:40am, I received a phone call from my friend that the vehicle had developed fault in Oke-Ayepe, Osogbo.
“On getting there, I did know that my friend, Gani, had used my vehicle to steal goats and unfortunately, the security men of the community arrested me. I can’t find my friend again.”
The community handed over Alabi to the police for prosecution.
Meanwhile, the state Police Command on Tuesday, dragged the suspect before an Osogbo Magistrate court for stealing two goats valued at twenty thousand naira (N20,000).
According to the Police Prosecutor, Olayiwola Rasaq, the accused committed the crime on November 6, 2016 at Owode, near Ilesa garage in Osogbo.
Rasaq further informed the court that the accused person committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 430(1), Criminal Code Cap.34, Vol. II, Law of Osun State.
Alabi pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him.
Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Olusola Aluko, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N20,000 with a surety in like sum.
The matter was adjourned to December 13, 2016 for hearing.
