BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 21-year-old-man, Clement Lawal, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Osogbo, Osun State for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing items worth N1.9million.
The defendant was said to have been on the run after allegedly committing the offence on August 1, last year.
He was reportedly detained by the police when caught barely a year after by the victim.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Kayode Adeoye, informed the court that Lawal broke into the house of one Owolabi Muideen and carted away a necklace, a laptop, some phones and cash, all totaling N1.9million.
The charge preferred against him read that “Clement Lawal and others now at large on August 1, 2021 at Unity Estate, Igigogo Zone E, Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District did conspire to commit felony to wit house breaking and stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
“You, Clement Lawal and others now at large, on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did break into the dwelling of Owolabi Muideen with intent to commit felony therein and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 410 and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“You, Clement Lawal and others now at large, on the same date and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal one Macbook Laptop valued at N680,000 (Six hundred and eighty thousand naira) only; a gold bracelet worth N480,000 (Four hundred and eighty thousand naira) only; PS4 Game Console valued at N200,000 (Two hundred thousand naira) only; an Air Pad Pro valued at N63,000 (Sixty-three thousand naira) only; an I-Phone 73hs valued at N140,000 (One hundred and forty thousand naira) only; and cash sum of N200,000 (Two hundred thousand naira) only; totalling N1,903,000 (One million, nine hundred and three thousand naira) only properties of Owolabi Muideen and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, CAP 34, Volume II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the three-count-charge slammed against him.
Lawal’s counsel, T. B. Ayodele, urged the court to grant him bail saying that he would provide reliable sureties.
Chief Magistrate Olusola Aluko granted the accused person bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in the same amount.
Aluko said that one of the sureties must be a civil servant while the other must be a chieftaincy title holder within the jurisdiction of the court.
He adjourned the matter till August 11 for mention.
