A 62-year-old man identified as Lukman Babatunde, has been arrested for allegedly stealing bread, toothpaste, soap and wine from a provisions store and is set to be jailed for 3 years if found guilty.
The old man who resides in Lagos Island, was on Monday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates Court in Lagos to face a count charge of stealing.
The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charge. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the defendant committed the offence at 4.00p.m. on March 16, at Trolleys Superstore at No. 2, Industrial Ave., Yaba.
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According to her, the defendant under the pretext of wanting to purchase wares from the store, stole four bottles of Black Label wine valued at N31,200.
Olaluwoye also submitted that Babatunde stole a packet of Dettol soap worth N3,000.
She added that the defendant stole six pieces of Sensodyne toothpaste valued at N5,100, and a loaf of bread worth N300.
Olaluwoye said the store’s Manager, Mr Taiwo Abimbola, noticed the theft through a closed-circuit television camera, and called the police.
“My lord, the defendant pretended to be a shopper while stuffing the stolen items into his jacket.
“He got to the counter and paid for only a bowl of ice cream, attempting to make away with the stolen items in his jacket.
“When he was searched, the items were recovered from him,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that stealing contravenes Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, and is punishable with a three-year jail term.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oghere, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
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