The Lagos State Police Command has charged three men, Stanley Gabriel, Yusuf Olaitan, and Ifeanyi Ogbu, with stealing roofing sheets worth N60 million from a company called Landing Zhao in the state’s Dopemu area.
The three were charged with three counts of stealing and receiving stolen goods before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun.
Gabriel and Olaitan, two of the defendants, were accused of taking materials from the company’s warehouse, selling them to Ogbu and others still at large, and then splitting the proceeds among themselves.
The duo, Olaitan and Ogbu, were first arrested and charged to court before the third defendant was also apprehended and charged to court.
The prosecutor, Rita Momoh, told the court that the defendants carried out the offence between January and May 2023 at No. 1, Shitta Street, Dopemu, Lagos.
Momoh told the court that the offences contravened Section 411, 297(7), 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
The charges read, “That you, Yusuf Olaitan, Ifeanyi Ogbu, and others at large, between January to May 2023, at No. 1, Shitta Street, Dopemu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal Gerald roofing sheets valued at N60m, properties of one Landing Zhao, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
“That you, Ifeanyi Ogbu, and others at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did receive Gerald roofing sheets valued at N60m from one Yusuf Olaitan and others at large, knowing well that it was stolen property of one Landing Zhao and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
The magistrate admitted them to bail in the sum of N500.000 with two responsible sureties each.
She adjourned the case till August 11, 2023, for mention.