A former bartender, Jones Adewoye, has narrated before a Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos State, how a hoodlum, Felix Ayeye, was arrested while attempting to sell the phone he stole from him to his wife at their residence in the Ajah area of the state.

It was gathered that Adewoye was on his way home when Ayeye and his gang members mugged him at a dark spot.

During the attack, Adewoye, who was the first prosecution witness to testify before the court on Thursday, told Justice Modupe Nico-Clay that the hoodlums led by Ayeye allegedly stabbed him with a dagger and robbed him of his phone and other items worth N78, 000.

He explained that Ayeye, who is facing two-count bordering on conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, was arrested while attempting to sell his stolen phone to his wife.

During the proceedings, the prosecuting counsel, Titilayo Olanrewaju-Daudu, said the offence committed contravened Sections 299 and 297 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. Consequently, Justice Nico-Clay adjourned the case till November 10 for trial.

At the resumed hearing, Olanrewaju-Daudu announced her appearance, while H. O. Ogungbamila appeared for the defendant.

Adewoye, who was led in evidence-in-chief by Olanrewaju-Daudu, told the court that Ayeye, who was remanded in prison custody for the crime, had been sending threatening messages to his wife.

He said, “The incident happened in February 2019. I was returning from work around 5.30am when I alighted from the Uber car and crossed to a dark street at Ajah. My earphones were on and my bag was at my back.

“Suddenly, torchlight was pointed at my eyes and the defendant broke a bottle on my head, used a dagger to stab my back twice, took all my things and left me on the floor bleeding.

“When I got home, I told my wife to help me get a small phone to contact my company. She was trying to help me buy a small phone when she returned to inform me that someone wants to sell a Samsung phone for N25, 000,” he said.

Adewoye said after he realised that the phone was exactly like his stolen phone, he asked his wife to contact a mobile policeman.

He said, “When the person who wanted to sell the phone to my wife came to my house, he didn’t change his clothes after he and his gang robbed me. So, I told the mobile policeman that he was the one that robbed me but he denied.

“He said someone gave him the phone to sell. The policeman asked him to get the person who gave him the phone but as the argument was going on, my SIM and memory cards fell from his pocket.

“His family members pleaded with me and asked how much was the things he stole from me, I said N200, 000. The family brought N60, 000 but I rejected it. I told them the matter was already with the police and there was nothing I could do.

“But in 2020, the defendant started sending messages to my wife from prison threatening that when he leaves the prison, he would deal with my wife,” he added.

The case was adjourned till November 30, for the continuation of trial. (The PUNCH)

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