Five men were on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly breaking into some houses in the night and robbing people of their belongings.
The accused — Taiwo Yusuf, 25; Sodiq Ahmed, 25; Rilwan Adeyemi, 26; Akeem Ogundimu, 21; and Lekan Shokunbi, 20 — are facing a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery.
The accused, who are residents of Ejigbo, a Lagos suburb, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Police Prosecutor Donjor Perezi told the court that the accused committed the offences with others still at large at 1.30 a.m. between December 2016 and June 2017 at Ejigbo.
Perezi said the case was reported to the police by the vigilance group in the area.
“The accused have been terrorising and harassing members of the public.
“The accused with other accomplices entered the house of a woman, Nimota Okumoye, damaged her door and robbed her of two mobile phones worth N37, 000,’’ he said.
The prosecutor said members of the vigilance group apprehended the accused in the early hours of the day with some dangerous weapons in their possession.
“The complainant had raised alarm that robbers had invaded her house which alerted the security guards.
“The accused were eventually arrested while the other accomplices escaped,” Perezi said.
The offences contravened Sections 295 296, 297 and 307 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may be sentenced up to 21 years imprisonment if convicted,
according to the Criminal Law.
according to the Criminal Law.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Layinka, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Layinka said the sureties must be blood relations of the accused and community leaders.
In addition, the sureties should provide evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The case was adjourned until Aug. 21 for mention.
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