TheNewsGuru

Tag: Stealing

  • 58-year-old pastor to spend 54 months in jail for stealing

    58-year-old pastor to spend 54 months in jail for stealing

    A 58-year-old self-acclaimed pastor, Abel Olukayode, is to spend four and half years in jail for stealing N984,450 from Wema Bank Plc.

    The convict stood trial on a three-count charge bordering on stealing.

    An Igbosere Magistrate, Mrs A. T. Omoyele, sentenced Olukayode without an option of fine after finding him guilty of the offences.

    Delivering her judgment, Omoyele said the convict was guilty as charged, and accordingly sentenced him to six months imprisonment on the first count and two years each for the count two and three.

    She, however, said that the jail term would run concurrently.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convict a resident of No. 26, Sadiku Ayinla St., Odo-kekere in Ikorodu was arrainged on Nov. 22, 2012.

    Olukayode who was 52 years old when he was arraingned, had pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Cyriacus Osuji, had told the court that Olukayode committed the offences between March 5 and March 6, 2012 through mobile banking App on his phone.

    He said “Olukayode with the aid of his mobile phone with sim no. 08034456771, stole the sum of N22,550, through his Wema Bank account, property of Wema Bank plc.

    “The convict at the same time and place with the aid of his mobile banking transferred the sum of N701,900, from Wema Bank to his GTB Bank account.

    “Olukayode also transferred another amount, N260,000 to his First Bank account, property of Wema Bank plc”.

    The prosecutor was able to establish to the court that between March 4 and March 6, 2012, the bank system malfunctioned.

    He said the convict who had only N300 in his account at that time, took advantage of the situation to steal the said amount.

    The offences contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)

  • I went into stealing because people no longer build houses – Bricklayer

    I went into stealing because people no longer build houses – Bricklayer

    A bricklayer who was arrested by men of the Niger State Police Command for stealing motorcycles, has revealed that he resorted to stealing because people no longer builder houses in the state.

    Danjuma Idris, 28, and his accomplice, 27-year-old Mohammed Kudu, had been terrorising motorcyclists in Kpakungu. They were arrested after stealing the motorcycle of one Emeka Johnson who resides in Ketaren Gwari.

    When interrogated, Idris said he had to seek another means to survive since no one was calling him for bricklaying jobs anymore.

    “Things are hard, l am looking for what to survive on since there are no jobs anywhere. I have been in this business of snatching motorcycles from people for years. .

    The bricklayer job I was doing cannot sustain me, people are no longer building houses as before and things are hard for young men and that was why I resorted to snatching motorcycles from people.

    I wish I had not taken to this. But I will blame my situation on the poor economic state of the country and the state” he said.

  • Man docked over alleged stealing of 2 cell phones in church

    The police on Tuesday arraigned a 25-year-old man, Yemi Oyedele, in an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court, Ondo State, over alleged theft of two cell phones worth N17,500 in a church.

    The accused of no fixed address and occupation is standing trial on a two-count charge of felony and stealing.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the accused and one other still at large, on May 23 around 10.00 p.m., unlawfully entered into a Catholic Church in Okitipupa and stole the phones.

    He said that the accused stole an Itel VX2 camera cell phone, valued at N9,000, and a Tecno camera cell phone, valued at N8,500, property of one Alfred James.

    The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 412 and 390(9) of Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol.1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

    The Magistrate, Mr Banji Ayeomoni, granted the accused bail in the sum of N15,000 with a surety in like sum and adjourned the case until July 18 for further hearing.

    NAN

  • N11.4bn fraud: Multi-purpose co-operative Boss ends up in jail

    Platinum Multi-purpose Co-operative Boss, Michael Osagogie, has been sentenced to a one-year jail term for fraud amounting to the sum of N11.4 billion.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal office, on Thursday arraigned Michael before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.

    He was arraigned on a 14-count charge bordering on stealing to the tune of over eleven billion naira (N11, 498, 944, 038.29), an offence which is contrary to Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    “That you, Michael Obasuyi Osasogie, Platinum Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society, SmartMicro Systems Limited and Platinum Smart Cruise Motors Limited, sometime in the year 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired to commit felony, to wit:

    “Stealing of the sum of N11, 498, 944, 038.29 (Eleven Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety Eight Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Thirty Eight Naira, Twenty Nine Kobo) property of First Bank Nigeria Ltd,” one of the counts reads.

    In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to allow Orji Chukwuma, an investigator with the EFCC and one of the witnesses listed in the case, to clearly explain his findings during investigation of the matter.

    Oyedepo also pleaded with the court to allow a projector and camera to be mounted within the court room so as to ease the explanation of the prosecution witness.

    The court granted the prayers of the prosecution counsel and also stood the matter down for the projector and camera to be mounted.

    When the case was later called up, Chukwuma affirmed all the allegations levelled against the defendant by the Commission and also told the court how the proceeds of crime were housed in some new generation banks.

     

  • Student bags 10 days imprisonment for stealing phone

    Student bags 10 days imprisonment for stealing phone

    A Sokoto Chief Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday sentenced a 22-year-old student, Ahmadu Suleiman, to 10 days imprisonment for stealing a cell phone valued at N10,000.

    Chief Magistrate Fatima Hassan, gave the ruling after Suleiman of Marina Police Barracks, Sokoto, pleaded guilty to the charge.

    “Since the accused had pleaded guilty to the charge, the court had no option than to sentence him.

    “Having pleaded guilty to the charge, Suleiman is to spend the next 10 days in jail without an option of fine,’’ she said

    The convict was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on theft.

    Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Monday Kennedy, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 21.

    Kennedy added that the matter was reported at Ungwan Rogo Police station by one Nafiu Abubakar of Diploma area, Sokoto.

    According to him, while the complainant was asleep, Suleiman stole his Blackberry cell phone.

    Kennedy said that during Police investigation, the phone was found with the accused.

    The offence contravened Section 288 of the Penal Code.

    NAN

  • Father, son in court for allegedly stealing N2.4m

    A 61-year-old father, Femi Adelegan, and his son, Daniel Adelegan, were on Thursday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N2.4 million belonging to their employer.

    The father, who resides at Mowe Ibafo area of Ogun, and Daniel, 30, who lives at Ori Oke, Magodo, Lagos State, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Raphael Donny, told the court that the accused committed the offences between August 2015 and October 2017.

    Donny said that the accused, who were loan officers at Deva Access and Empowerment International Ltd., located at No. 30, Iju Road, Agege, Lagos, defrauded the company of N2.4 million.

    “When the company audited the company’s account, they noticed that the sum of N2.4 million was missing.

    “The company reported the matter to the Police; the accused were arrested and confessed that they had converted the money to their own use,’’ he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The Magistrate, Mrs A. O. Adebayo, admitted each of the accused to N500,000 bail with two sureties each in like sum.

    She adjourned the case until May 22, for hearing.

    NAN

  • Man caught stealing pot of soup, gets N10,000 bail

    Man caught stealing pot of soup, gets N10,000 bail

    A 56-year-old man, Tajudeen Lateef, on Thursday appeared in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly breaking into a food vendor’s shop and stealing pot of soup, and N10,000.

    Lateef, who resides at Atan near Ota in Ogun, is being tried for stealing.

    He, however, pleaded not guilty.

    But the Police Prosecutor, Sgt . Mike Unah insisted that the accused committed the offence on May 3 at No. 27, Isiaka St., Oko-Oba, Agege, a Lagos suburb.

    He said the accused broke into the shop of the complainant, Tawa Amusa, ransacked it and stole a pot of soup valued at N3,000, and N10,000.

    He also stole a phone valued at N3,000 belonging to Jamiu Onifade, Unah told the court.

    “The accused was, however, caught by some security guards who were near the scene”

    The offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence carries a penalty of three years imprisonment.

    The Magistrate, Mr A.A. Fashola, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N10,000 with one surety in like sum.

    Fashola said the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the case until May 28.

  • #BBNaija: Cee-c’s sister reacts over her allegedly stealing from Alex

    Cee-c’s sister and spokesperson outside BBNaija house has reacted over allegations that Cee-c is a thief.

     

    A video showing Cee-c hiding a neck piece belonging to Alex has sparked diverse reactions on social media.

    Though Cee-c subsequently returned the necklace saying it was a prank, some viewers still accused her of stealing.

     

    In her reaction, Bella Cee-c’s sister, said:”I just saw the post where my sister was labelled a thief!

     

    ”A thief in front of numerous cameras and millions of eyes? This is a new low on hatred!

    ”This is the danger of a SINGLE STORY Chimamanda spoke about.

    ”How can you make a conclusion from a less than 60 seconds video?

    ”I know my sister isn’t who the media say she is.

    ”And lots of people watching without prejudice know that too.

    ”At the end, you judge others based on who you are.

    Half full cup. Half empty cup. It’s all about your mindset.”

    Video: Melaye drops new song, lambasts Kogi Gov, Yahaya Bello

     

  • Meet man disgraced for stealing phones while Nigerians prayed at The Experience concert

    For 19-year-old, Lateef Nurudeen, The Experience concert of 2017, which recently held at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos was not a time for praising God, rather it was his opportunity to steal from thousands of Nigerians who were devoted to singing and praising God at the gospel concert organised by the convener of House on the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin.

    According to the police, Nurudeen, who pretended to be a worshipper, was arrested with seven mobile phones belonging to some participants at the event.

    The 19-year-old, who was said to be in company with six other persons, was arrested by men of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command with a bag where the stolen phones were found.

    He was also said to be in possession of charms.

    The police on Tuesday said the suspect, who lived on Obadina Street, Lagos Island, was arrested around 12.45am at the venue of the concert.

    “The suspect, on interception by the officers posted to the venue of the concert, said he was a barber. After further scrutiny, he claimed that he saw the bag underneath a flower bed.

    “Found inside the bag were seven different mobile phones, charms and a purse. The purse contained an identity card and an ATM card belonging to one Chris Chinedu.

    “The suspect also confessed to be the owner of the charms in the bag,” a source in the RRS said.

    The police said four of the phone owners had shown up at the RRS headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja.

    The owners, identified as Ukwajiba Felix, Ekhorelen Ruth, Kpanou Estelle and Kemi Ahmed, were said to have been alerted after operatives of the RRS called some of the contacts on the phones.

    “The owners, who had been looking for their mobile phones before leaving the venue of the programme, said they didn’t know when their phones were removed from their bags and pockets.

    “One of them, Ukwajiuba (Felix), said immediately he realised that his phone had been stolen, he reported the theft at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos,” the police said.

    Nurudeen, whom the police alleged was an ex-convict, reportedly said in his statement that the charms in the bag were for his protection.

    He said he was at the concert to pray and found the bag on a flower bed.

    His statement read in part, “I pray a lot. The charms are for my personal protection. They have been with me for ages. They were specially prepared for my protection against evil. I went to the crusade to pray.

    “My friends who took to their heels when police started questioning me are troublemakers. They were at the programme to cause commotion. That is what they do and how they make a living.

    “I am a troublemaker too, but I went to that programme to pray and not to steal. My friends ran because they knew I would be arrested. I pray a lot and that was why I was at the programme.”

    The police said efforts were ongoing to track the suspect’s accomplices, adding that they had abandoned their hideouts.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, was said to have directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, while efforts should be intensified to arrest the accomplices.

    He also ordered that the stolen phones should be released to their owners after providing evidence of ownership.

  • Dangote accuses BUA of stealing, illegally mining limestone on its properties

    The management of Dangote Group has accused BUA of engaging in illegal mining of limestone deposited in its Mining Lease No. 2541 located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene, Kogi State.

    Dangote’s Executive Director, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, at a press conference in Lagos yesterday frowned at the media war instigated by BUA against the Dangote Group over a matter which is already pending before the Federal High Court in Benin-City.

    Edwin revealed that “Dangote Group validly acquired its interest and mining title in the disputed Mining Lease No. 2541 from AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Limited sometime in 2014. AICO itself had applied to the Mining Cadastre Office and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the said Mining Lease No. 2541 located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene, Kogi State in 2007.

    The ministry in exercise of its power under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, granted and issued to AICO ML. No. 2541 for the renewable period of 25 years effective from February 1, 2008, and to expire on January 31, 2033. Thus AICO by virtue of the said grant, became vested with the legal title over ML. No. 2541.

    “In 2014, the Dangote Group approached AICO and indicated interest in acquiring AICO’s stake in ML No. 2541. In 2014, AICO in exercise of its right under the Mining Act, applied to the Ministry for the transfer of its title in the ML No. 2541 to Dangote Group. AICO and Dangote Group equally paid all the transfer and statutory fees demanded by the Ministry.”

    He further explained: “By a letter dated 05 February 2016, the ministry wrote to the Managing Director of the Dangote Group to convey its approval for the Transfer/Assignment of ML No. 2541 from AICO to Dangote Group with effect from February 3, 2016. Following the successful transfer of ML. NO. 2541 to Dangote Group, the Group became the holder of the Mining Lease No. 2541.”

    He said even BUA in its processes in court, acknowledged that these illegal mining leases which it claimed were granted in 1997 were temporary mining leases.

    Edwin further stated that the then Minister of Solid Minerals during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, sometime in 2006 waded into the dispute and invited the managements of Edo Cement Company Limited and AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Limited for a meeting and that in the course of the meeting, the then minister again queried the legality of Mining Lease Nos 18912 and 18913 and the power of the governor of Edo State to grant such mining leases.

    “At the end of the meeting, the minister declared the Edo Cement’s Mining Leases Nos. 18912 and 18913 illegal and declared the mining site open for interested investors. Given that AICO’s then existing Mining Lease No. 17825 was yet to be renewed even though application for renewal was pending, AICO in 2007 (under the Mining Act, 2007) applied for the fresh Mining Lease No. 2541 and the ministry granted it in 2008 without any objection from Edo Cement Company,” he said. Edwin said AICO, which sold the right to Dangote, continued its mining operations in the Mining Lease No. 2541 undisturbed until BUA Group acquired Edo Cement Company Limited and resuscitated the dispute again.

    Edwin further revealed that it was the attempt by BUA to encroach on AICO’s mining title in Mining Lease No. 2541 that prompted AICO to write to the Ministry in 2015 complaining of BUA’s encroachment.

    He said: “The ministry, after investigation in the same 2015 by the letter dated 21 January 2015, wrote to the chairman of BUA Group directing BUA to stop mining within the ML. No. 2541. It was this same letter from the ministry that prompted BUA to file a Suit at the Federal High Court Benin in 2016.”

    Edwin said: “It is therefore appalling that BUA Group in the midst of these overwhelming facts would still want the public to believe that Dangote Group is after its business when in actual fact BUA has been the one mining illegally in Dangote Mining Lease and attacking its officials without any justification…

    “The crocodile tears being shed by BUA in its cry for help and open letter to the president is most laughable and a total distraction from BUA’s continuous illegal activities within Dangote’s ML 2541 aimed at depleting and exhausting the limestone reserves in order to sabotage Dangote Group’s legitimate investment.”

    Meanwhile, BUA group has dismissed the claims by Dangote Group, describing it as a desperate move to disregard judicial process and scheme it out of business.

    In a statement by its Group Head, Corporate Communications, Otega Ogra, the company said it was compelled to clarify the cycle of misinformation being spread by Dangote, adding that BUA does not have any operations whatsoever in Okene, Kogi State where the purported ML2541 is situated.

    The statement read in parts: “This latest statement by Dangote Group stinks of desperation in its continued attempt to disregard the judicial process and scheme a viable competitor out of business as has been their legendary antecedent.

    “We thus wish to reiterate once again that whilst we do not want to join issues with anyone on this matter as it is currently before a court of competent jurisdiction, we are however compelled to use the opportunity presented by Edwin Devakumar’s reckless statements to clarify the cycle of misinformation being proliferated.

    “In specific response to Devakumar’s claim of BUA operating on ML2541 in Okene, Kogi State, we wish to restate that BUA does not have any operations whatsoever in Okene, Kogi State where the purported ML2541 is situated.

    “Our mining operations are limited to Obu-Okpella, Edo State for which licences ML18912 & 18913 were issued and revalidate by the same ministry in a publication. These licences have been owned, operated and fulfilled by BUA and its predecessors-in-title since 1976 as it is also a notorious fact that we have exercised total control and possession over the mining area covered by the above mining leases since 1976 when we operated under the name of Bendel Cement Company Limited. We thus want to excuse Edwin’s claims to a lack of basic knowledge and understanding of the geography of Nigeria but he will be better served if he seeks professional opinion in critically understanding the geography of Nigeria or he should otherwise refer to documents from the boundary commission which clearly delineates boundaries within Nigeria.

    “It is public information that neither Dangote nor AICO or anyone for that matter can claim ownership of ML2541 as was stated in a court injunction by a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja in suit FHC/LK/CS/25/2017 between Alhaji Mohammed Otaru Adeika & Ors. Versus AICO Ado Ibrahim and Company Limited, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, The Mining Cadestre Office and Dangote Industries Plc. How then can they continue to claim in obvious disregard of that court order that the ML2541 belongs to them? No one is above the law.

    “The antecedents of Dangote Plc in trying to out-muscle competition is not in doubt. Various cases abound within and outside the cement industry – one of which was their taking over of the limestone deposits of another competing entity in the South-south region of Nigeria until they ceded him 25% of their company. This was in turn resold to them for hundreds of millions of dollars. Or is it the case of Ibeto whose business was almost driven under but for the prompt intervention of the then late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Or is it the case of Polo House Jetty Tincan previously owned by his uncle, Usman Dantata, whose licence was revoked by NPA and reallocated to Dangote on the same day in order to prevent a sugar refinery to be sited there by a competitor.

    “The facts of the matter as far as we are concerned is that BUA’s operations are in Obu, Okpella, Edo State and not Okene, Kogi. We once again ask that all parties should wait for the court to resolve the issue. We will not be cowed or intimidated and will continue to seek redress through the proper legal channels.”