Two charged for burglary in Lagos

One Godswill Ekong and his accomplice, Henry Edet, be kept in prison custody by order of a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, for breaking into the car of one Femi Olayinka, a lawyer.

It was gathered that the complainant had gone to visit a friend, Martin Nwadiwe, who lives in Sangotedo in the Ajah area of the state around 8.30pm on July 23. The friends were said to be chatting when a resident rushed in to inform them that the suspects were burgling the car.

The thieves were said to have just carted away a laptop and a sum of N52,000 by the time the lawyers and the eyewitness got to where the car was parked.

Our correspondent gathered that the suspects were given a chase, leading to their arrest. The lawyer was said to have prevailed on an angry mob not to lynch them. They were thereafter taken to the Elemoro Police Station.

The police said the suspects had confessed to the crime and begged for pardon.

They were subsequently arraigned on four counts bordering on stealing and burglary by a police prosecutor, Sergeant I. Koti before the magistrate’s court.

The charges read in part, “That you, Godswill Ekong (27) and Henry Edet (28), on July 23, 2015, at about 8.30pm, at the Sangotedo area of Ajah, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire to commit felony to wit; malicious damage and stealing.

“That you on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did break the rear side glass of one Toyota Camry Salon with number plate, AAA 57 CC, valued at N15,000, and stole a black bag containing a Compac laptop valued at N85,000, and a sum of N52,000, property of one Femi Olayinka.”

The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges described by the police as punishable under sections 285, 348 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The prosecution gave the facts of the matter before the presiding magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi.

While adjourning the case till August 31, 2015, for judgement, Owolabi ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.