A 27-year-old man, Emmanuel Benson, on Thursday appeared before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, over alleged theft of Samsung Galaxy S9 worth N245, 000.
Benson, who resides at Obalende, Lagos State, is standing trial on a count charge of stealing, but he pleaded not guilty.
According to the prosecutor, Sgt. Cyriacus Osuji, the defendant committed the offence on March 29, at Divergent Enterprises premises at No. 1686, Oladele Olashore St. on Victoria Island, Lagos.
Osuji said that the defendant stole the phone belonging to Divergent Enterprises.
He said that the company gave the defendant the phone to aid his work but he refused to release it when the company wanted it back.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that stealing from employer contravenes Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and attracts a seven-year jail term.
The Magistrate, Mrs M. O. Ope-Agbe, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000 with one surety in like sum.
Ope-Agbe ordered that the surety must be gainfully employed and show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The case was adjourned until April 16 for substantive trial.
In another development, the magistrate, Ope-Agbe, granted bail to two unemployed men in the sum of N100, 000 each in a case of assult on a road user.
Ope-Agbe ordered that the defendants should provide one surety each as part of the bail conditions.
She said the surety should be gainfully employed and should show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Earlier, the defendants – Ademola Ojo, 49, and Wasiu Ewebiyi, 28, whose addresses were not given – were arraigned by the police on a three-count charge bordering on assault.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the duo committed the offences in March at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
The prosecutor said that the defendants assaulted one Mr Segun Oyindasola by attempting to beat him up while he was going about his lawful duty.
Osuji added that the duo conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace.
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 168, 172 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The case was adjourned until April 16 for trial.
(NAN)
