Three men: Gabriel Edet, 28; Michael Foga, 27; and Sunday Odey, 22; on Monday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing some vehicles’ spare parts valued at N1million.
Edet, a bricklayer; Foga, a security guard; and Odey, an unemployed; all residents of Ikeja, are being tried for conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the defendants committed the offences sometime in this month at Ikeja.
He said that the defendants conspired to steal some vehicles’ spare parts belonging to Auto Solution, Sipus Auto Ltd., and Nkem Okocha.
“The defendant stole eight pieces of Mitsubishi brain boxes, three pieces of Toyota brain boxes, 19 pieces of Toyota power window switches; all valued at N1million.”
Ayorinde said that the defendants entered a mechanic village at midnight and vandalised various vehicles there.
“A security guard who sighted them destroying the vehicles called other guards, and they pursed them.
“The defendants were arrested while others escaped with some of the spare parts they had stolen,” the prosecutor said.
The alleged offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes three years’ jail term for stealing while Section 411 attracts two years for conspiracy.
They pleaded not guilty to the offences.
The magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, released the defendants on bail of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Osunsanmi said that all the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government (LASG).
The court fixed further hearing in the case until Sept. 30.
