BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 17-year-old boy, Karimu Fawasi, and his friend, Sodiq Ahmed, aged 22, have been arrested by men of the Osun State Police Command for allegedly stealing underwears and other clothing items.
The young persons were dragged to an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for offences of conspiracy and stealing.
The Investigation Police Officer, Inspector O. Muritala, said Fawasi pretended to be a beggar and joined a group of alms seekers at Ayetoro junction, Osogbo, for the purpose of committing crime.
According to the charge sheet obtained in court, the duo and others at large, at Ayetoro area, broke into a shop owned by two traders and carted away items including mat, underwears, shoes and curtains.
It reads, “That you Karimu Fawasi and Sodiq Ahmed and three others at large on the 23rd day of June, 2023 at about 07:30am, at Number 23, Ayetoro Junction, Osogbo, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, did conspire together to commit felony to wit shop breaking and stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
“That you did break and enter into the shop of one Alabi Oluwatoyin and Akanbi Risikat and steal one mat, underwears, shoes, curtains all total valued at Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000:00) only and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 413(1)(2) of the Criminal Code CAP 34 Vol. II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.”
They pleaded not guilty to the allegations. The police prosecutor, Inspector Adeoye Kayode, told the court that the defendants’ parents had yet to show up since their arrest.
Owing to Fawasi’s minor age, the presiding Magistrate, A. O. Daramola, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties each in the same amount. According to her, one of the sureties must be their biological parent and must produce three years tax clearance.
Daramola ordered that the matter be transferred to Family Court on July 6, 2023 and in the situation that the defendants could not meet their bail conditions, they should be remanded in police custody.
