A 30-year-old man, identified simply as Ogamba, was on Monday charged before an Ojo Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for allegedly stealing seven fairly-used refrigerators valued at N171,000.The accused, an evangelist, is standing trial for one count of stealing.
The prosecutor, ASP Godwin Eze, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offence on February 8, 2013.
He said the complainant, one Mr Stephen Agbo, a dealer in electronics at the Alaba International Market, Ojo, entrusted the refrigerators to the accused to sell.
Eze said the accused took possession of the refrigerators, but nothing was heard from him afterwards.
“He did not remit any proceeds of the sale, or give any explanation as to the whereabouts of the goods, despite repeated demands,” the prosecutor said.
Eze said that on several occasions when the complainant visited the residence of the accused, he was told by Ogamba’s wife that her husband had been in the “desert” for prayers.
The prosecutor said that when it became clear that the accused had something “fishy”, the complainant reported the matter to the police.
Eze said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs Adenike Shonubi, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case to Sept. 27 for mention.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that stealing attracts three-year imprisonment, if the accused is convicted.
