Businessman arraigned for stealing brother’s vehicles

A 34-year-old businessman, Ayo Mate, was on Tuesday in Lagos brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing his brother’s two vehicles valued at N8 million.     Mate, who resides at Ikorodu, Lagos, entered a `not-guilty’ plea to the stealing charge leveled against him.     The Magistrate, Mr J.A Adegun, granted the […]

A 34-year-old businessman, Ayo Mate, was on Tuesday in Lagos brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing his brother’s two vehicles valued at N8 million.

 

 

Mate, who resides at Ikorodu, Lagos, entered a `not-guilty’ plea to the stealing charge leveled against him.

 

 

The Magistrate, Mr J.A Adegun, granted the defendant bail of N500,000 with two sureties as part of the bail conditions.

 

 

Adegun said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

 

 

According to the Prosecutor, ASP Clifford Ogu, the defendant committed the offence between 2015 and 2017 at Ogba, Lagos.

 

 

He said that the defendant stole the vehicles belonging to his brother, Mr Albert Mate.

 

 

Ogu said that the complainant, who resides in U.S., sent two vehicles to the defendant for the upkeep of the family.

 

 

`The complainant sent the vehicles to the defendant, his younger brother, to get drivers who will be driving them and delivering money for the family’s upkeep.

 

 

“Since 2015 that the vehicles were sent, the defendant converted them to his own and was nowhere to be found.

 

 

“Efforts made to recover the vehicles proved unsuccessful as nobody in the family knew his whereabouts.”

 

 

“The defendant was later arrested after four years and handed over to the police,’’ the prosecutor said.

 

 

The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 which stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing.

 

 

The case was adjourned until May 13 for mention. (NAN)