Man, 37, arraigned over phone theft

A 37-year-old man, Idowu Nojimu, was yesterday arraigned at an Ogba magistrate court in Lagos for allegedly stealing a Samsung Galaxy S6 Plus mobile phone valued at N230,000, property of Ekpenyong Isaiah Odiong. The prosecutor, Kenrich Nomayo, said that Nojimu committed the act by dipping his hand into the pocket of Odiong and dispossessing him […]

A 37-year-old man, Idowu Nojimu, was yesterday arraigned at an Ogba magistrate court in Lagos for allegedly stealing a Samsung Galaxy S6 Plus mobile phone valued at N230,000, property of Ekpenyong Isaiah Odiong.

The prosecutor, Kenrich Nomayo, said that Nojimu committed the act by dipping his hand into the pocket of Odiong and dispossessing him of his property.

The accused, in his statement, said, “I was coming from the Alade market, going to Ayobo. I met Mr Odiong at the Computer Village, near Awolowo Road. As I walked past him, I picked his phone from his pocket. He held me and handed me over to the police. I did not know why I stole the phone. It is the devil’s work as I have never stolen a phone before. This is the more reason I am begging for mercy.”

Despite the tone of his statement, the accused pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate, Mrs T.O. Ojo, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000, with two “responsible” sureties in the like sum. One of the sureties, she directed, must be a civil servant with tax verification.

She adjourned the case till October 23, 2018 for mention.