The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned three men, Stanley Gabriel, Yusuf Olaitan, and Ifeanyi Ogbu, for allegedly stealing roofing sheets worth N60m property of a company, Landing Zhao, in the Dopemu area of the state.
The trio were arraigned before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun on three counts of stealing and receiving stolen goods.
Two of the defendants, Gabriel and Olaitan, were alleged to have taken the materials from the warehouse of the company, sold them to Ogbu and others still at large, and then shared the proceeds among themselves.
The duo, Olaitan and Ogbu, were first arrested and charged to court before the third defendant was also apprehended and charged to court.
The prosecutor, Rita Momoh, told the court that the defendants carried out the offence between January and May 2023 at No. 1, Shitta Street, Dopemu, Lagos.
Momoh told the court that the offences contravened Section 411, 297(7), 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
The charges read,
“That you, Yusuf Olaitan, Ifeanyi Ogbu, and others at large, between January to May 2023, at No. 1, Shitta Street, Dopemu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal Gerald roofing sheets valued at N60m, properties of one Landing Zhao, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
“That you, Ifeanyi Ogbu, and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did receive Gerald roofing sheets valued at N60m from one Yusuf Olaitan and others at large, knowing well that it was stolen property of one Landing Zhao and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
The magistrate admitted them to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two responsible sureties each.
She adjourned the case till August 11, 2023, for mention.
