The police have arraigned a pastor, Zacchaus Olumuyiwa, and two security guards – Omolabi James and Matthew Lasisi –for alleged burglary.
They were accused of burgling one of the shops in the Nureni Yusuf Shopping Complex on Baale Animashaun Road in the Alakuko area of the Lagos State.
It was learnt that the defendants forcefully entered the complex between 9pm of August 2 and 6am of August 3, carting away goods worth N2.5m.
The goods were said to comprise electronics and household items belonging to one Abisoye Garuba.
The defendants appeared before a magistrate, Mrs. T. Akani, at the Ojokoro Magistrate’s Court on three counts of burglary and stealing.
The counts read in part, “That you Omolabi James, Matthew Lasisi, Zacchaus Olumuyiwa and others now at large, between 9pm of August 2, 2014 and 6am of August 3, 2014, at Nureni Yusuf Shopping Complex, Baale Animashaun Road, Dalemo, Alakuko, Lagos State, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit; burglary and stealing.
“That you and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did burgle a shop belonging to one Abisoye Garuba, stole electronics and household items valued N2.5m, property of one Abisoye Garuba.”
The offences were said to be punishable under Vol. 44 sections 409, 304 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
The three defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences.
The defence counsel, S.O. Afilaka, said, “I want to urge my Lord to grant bail to my clients, especially the third defendant, in a liberal term. He is a pastor who offers a charter commercial ride to people to sponsor his child’s university education. Prior to his arrest, he had given somebody a free ride to somewhere along the complex. Some days after, the complainant identified him as one of the persons who burgled her shop.”
Akani granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N100,000 with one surety each in like sum.
The case was adjourned till September 9, 2014.
