The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned four suspects for breaking into the palace of a chief, Shefiu Olamiji, and stealing property worth over N39.3m on the premises of the building at Okegun village, in the Ibeju Lekki area of the state.

The suspects, Rafiu Taibu, 51, Semiu Ogunkoya, 39, Kazeem Ogunkoya, 46, Akeem Adeboyega, and others at large, were arraigned on four counts bordering on stealing, malicious damage and conducts likely to cause a breach of peace, among others preferred against them by the police.

They were arraigned on February 15, 2023, before Magistrate L.A. Owolabi.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Igbinedion James, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on July 1, 2020.

The charge read in part, “That you, Rafiu Taibu, Semiu Ogunkoya, Akeem Adeboyega, and others at large, on July 1, 2020, around 2.30pm at Okegun village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing, malicious damage and conduct likely to cause the breach of peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Rafiu Taibu, Semiu Ogunkoya, Kazeem Ogunkoya, Akeem Adeboyega, and others now at large, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal jewellery valued at N20,178,000.00, gold chain valued at N2,500,000.00, clothing and shoes valued at N500,00.00, six plasma televisions valued at N400,000.00, beads valued at N520,000.00, furniture valued at N380,000.00, and a cash sum of N15,000,000.00, total value of N39,378,000.00, property of one Sefiu Olamiji, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

The defendant’s lawyer, A. K. Suleiman, applied for bail in liberal terms.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Magistrate Owolabi granted them bail in the sum of N2m each with one surety in like sum.

The case was adjourned till March 20 for mention.

In this article