2 men in court for ‘stealing’ magistrate’s phone

The police yesterday arraigned two men, Adeyemi Lawrence, 34, and Ibrahim Gbadamosi, 45, in a Senior Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone  2, Abuja, for allegedly stealing a judge’s phone.
Lawrence and Gbadamosi were charged with two counts of joint act and theft.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Francis Tanko, said that on May 10, Mgistrate Habiba Bello of the Wuse Zone 6 Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, reported the two accused at the Wuse Zone 3 Police Station, Abuja.
He said Bello reported that on the same day at about 2 p.m, the accused stole her phone while she was at a function at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

Tanko said the accused sneaked into the venue of the function and one of them dipped his hands into Bello’s handbag and stole her phone.
He said the stolen phone, a Samsung Grand handset, is valued at N50, 000.

He said during police investigation, a wallet belonging to another judge who was also at the function was found in their possession.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 79, and 287 of the Penal Code.
Tanko prayed the court to order remand of the accused in prison custody during the course of trial.
He also told the court that the accused persons were habitual criminals.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty.

The counsel to the accused, Mr Friday Obainoke, applied for their bail under section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution which presumes an accused innocent until proven otherwise.
The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Chinyere Nwacheonwu, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with two reliable sureties each who must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction.

She said one of the sureties must be a civil servant on GL 15 or above with the Federal Civil Service.
She said the other surety should be a businessman who deals in Electronics and Fabrics within the FCT.
“The addresses of the sureties must be verified thoroughly by the court’s registry,’’ Nwacheonwu said, and adjourned the case until June 16, for hearing. (NAN)