Policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State command on Wednesday arraigned three dismissed soldiers, a dismissed Air Force Officer, a final year student and three others for allegedly stealing solar panels and batteries belonging to Lagos State government and MTN telecommunications.

The accused, Samuel Ani, Ifedayo Odufuye, Michael Omerede, Chibuze Nnamani, Philip Emmanuel Efosa, Ex-private Sulaimon Usman, ex-private Olalekan Sunday, and ex-private Olafide Busayo, were arraigned at the Ikeja magistrate’s court on a four-count charge bordering on armed robbery and conspiracy.

Count one read: “That between December 12, 2016 and September 12, 2017 along Ibeju-Lekki Expressway, Mojada area of Epe and Badagry areas of Lagos, you stole 120 pieces of backup batteries valued at N32,640,000; 69 pieces of solar panel batteries valued at N42,699,000, property of IPT Power Tech/MTN telecommunications and thereby punishable under section 297(2) of the criminal law of Lagos state 2015.”

Meanwhile, an accused criminal pretending to be scavenging around the premises of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Olalekan Rauf, 33, was Wednesday arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court holden in Iwo Road area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful possession.

The prosecutor, Inspector E. Adeyeye, told the court that the defendant and one other person on October 12, around 2:00 p.m. entered the house of one of the senior staff of the institution to steal some valuable items.

A security officer of the institution, who arrested the accused, Mr. Yahaya Taofeek, said Rauf pretending to be a scavenger, picked some non-serviceable metals around the institution but later burgled a three bed-room flat belonging to one of the senior staff of the institution, who was outside the state on an education tour.

According to Taofeek, before the defendant was arrested, he had destroyed all the stolen iron and metal items for people to believe the items are no more useful. The stolen items include cooking iron pot, stabiliser, computer set, palm slippers, electricity change over and cooking gas.

He said when he apprehended him, the defendant pleaded that he was going to cooperate with the security of the institution if they promise not to injure him, adding that the other member of the gang had fled. However, the accused, pleaded not guilty of the charges when it was read to him in court.

The senior magistrate, S. O Babalola, granted him N20,000 bail with two surety and adjourned the case to November 20 for the further hearing. (The Guardian)

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