BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 19-year-old-boy, Victor Odejide, has been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court in Osun State for allegedly stealing the sum of N1, 560,000 from his master.
Odejide, who was said to have finished his secondary school education last year, was working with a rice dealer, Bashiru Kazeem, from whom he allegedly stole the money.
It was gathered that the young boy sold 61 bags of rice in his master’s shop in Owena-Ijesa, Osun State but could not account for the money. The boy allegedly fled to Ilorin where he was tracked down and arrested by the police.
The police prosecutor, ASP Fagboyinbo Abiodun, informed the court that the teenager conspired with others at large to steal the money and also behaved in a manner that caused breach of peace.
The charge read that “Victor Odejide and others now at large, on February 22, at about 10am at Owena Ijesha town, Oke-Aradun area, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, Osun State, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing.
“You and others at large, at the same time and date, did steal the sum of N1, 560,000 property of Bashiru Kazeem in Owena-Ijesa, Osun State. You and others at large did conspire among yourselves to commit a misdemeanour offence to wit: and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.”
Abiodun said that the defendant committed offences contrary to and punishable under sections 517, 390(9) and 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.
The defendant entered into a not guilty plea on the alleged offences. The defence counsel, Israel Adelakun, informed the court that a High Court sitting in Ilesa had ordered that the police should release Odejide.
He stated that “Your worship, I wish to bring to the notice of this honourable court that we filed a fundamental human right against the police for detaining the defendant beyond two days. It was filed at the Ilesa High Court and an order of release was made but the police don’t want to release him. That was why the boy was brought to court. It was just a case of assault.”
Adelakun, therefore, urged the court to release the defendant on bail, saying that he would provide reliable sureties to stand for him.
Magistrate A. A. Adebayo granted the defendant’s bail application in the sum of N500, 000 with one surety in the same amount.
The surety, he said, must provide evidence of ownership of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court. He ordered that the case be transferred to the Ijebu-Jesa Chief Magistrate Court for mention on April 13.
