2 in court over alleged theft of phone worth N140,000

Two unemployed men: Azeez Noath and Ife Akinyemi, were on Monday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in  Lagos, for alleged theft of a Samsung phone valued at N140,000. The defendants, Noath, 20, who resides in Saki, Oyo State and Akinyemi, 25, who lives in Egbeda in Lagos State, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to the prosecutor, Insp. Aondohemba Koti, the defendants committed the offences on Feb.13 at Agege Motor Road, Mushin in Lagos. Koti said the defendants stole a Samsung Edge 6 phone belonging to the complainant, Mr Samuel Ikegbu. “The defendants boarded the same tricycle with the complainant. While in transit, they commanded him to surrender his phone. “They also threatened that they will harm him. “For fear of the unknown, the complainant surrendered his phone to the defendants. As soon as they alighted from the tricycle, they took to their heels. “The complainant raised an alarm and some passersby pursed them, caught up with them and beat them mercilessly. “But the defendants were rescued by some policemen on patrol who took them to a police station where the phone was recovered from them,” the prosecutor said. The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 carries three years’ imprisonment for stealing, while Section 411 attracts two years for conspiracy. In her ruling, the magistrate, Mrs M.O. Tanimola, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N80, 000 each with one surety each in like sum. Tanimola said the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government. The case was adjourned until March 6 for mention. (NAN)