Bashiru Saka, 20, was detained by the police at the Ebute-Ero Division, Lagos Island, of the Lagos State Police Command, Southwest, Nigeria, after he was suspected of stealing cellphones from motorists atop the Carter Bridge, Idumota, Lagos Island.
Saka was accused of stealing a phone from the complainant Sahabi Abdullahi in front of a Lagos Magistrate’s Court.
The complainant, Sahabi Abdulahi, was attacked at around 11 PM on top of the Carter Bridge in Lagos Island by the defendant and his accomplices, who are still at large, according to the police. They allegedly robbed him of his Infinix phone, valued at N35,000, and a cash sum of N25,000, totaling N60,000, before fleeing.
According to police, after the incident, the complainant brought the matter to the attention of CSP Ademola Oyunyamoju, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Ebute-Ero Division, Idumota, Lagos Island, who promptly dispatched his top team, under the direction of Usman Abdul, to find the suspects wherever they might be hiding.
The Police team, through tracking, succeeded in arresting the defendant at a hideout while others managed to escape.
Saka of no fixed address was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge of stealing.
Police Counsel, Ajaga Agboko told the Court that the defendant and others still at large committed the offence on 21 January 2023, at about 11 PM atop the Carter Bridge, Idumota, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Agboko informed the Court that the defendant and others still at large attacked the complainant atop the Carter Bridge, Idumota, Lagos Island and robbed him of his phone and money, all valued at N60,000 and fled before the defendant was arrested through tracking at a hideout on Lagos Island.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate T.A Idowu granted him N5,000 bail with one surety in like sum.
Idowu adjourned the case till 2 March 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.