BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
A 29-year-old Abdulraman Fatai has been arrested by the Osun State Police Command for alleged multiple shop breaking
and theft.
He was accused of stealing assorted tools, wares and other items in various shops between 2022 and 2023 before he was caught recently. The stolen items belonged to some artisans, traders and other residents.
When the suspect was dragged before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court, he was slammed with an eightcountcharge bordering on theft. Part of the charge brought against Fatai read, “That you Abdulraman Fatai on the 8th of April, 2023 at about 0300hours at opposite Royal Spring Hotel Iyana Camp, Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District did steal aluminum frame valued Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only (N650,000,00), property of one Abdulwaheed Adedokun, from his shop.
“You (Fatai) did steal the following items: welding machine valued Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira, window burglary valued Three Hundred Thousand Naira, cable wire valued One Hundred and Thirty-Five Thousand Naira (N135,000,00), grinding machine valued Forty-Five Thousand Naira (N45,000,00), roofing sheet valued Fifty-Two Thousand Naira (N52,000), total valued N782,000,00 only, property of one Suleima Wasiu.
“That sometimes in the month of March, 2023, at about 2200hrs at Iyana Camp, Osogbo in the Osogbo Magisterial District, you did steal the following items: circular machine valued N50,000, grinding machine valued N45,000, GIC saw valued N35,000, five hammers valued N9,500, resting chair valued N70,000, two seater chair valued N100,000, totalled N344,500:00 only, property of one Raji Suleiman.
“Sometimes in the month of December, 2022 at about 2100hrs at Iyana Camp, Osogbo, you did steal iron box containing some mechanic tools valued N150,000, and motor shaft valued N20,000, total valued N170,000 only, property of one Suleiman Kazeem.”
Fatai was also accused of stealing men’s wears, bags, women’s wears and other items sometimes in November, 2022 valued N178,000, property of a trader, Adebowale Mary Adenike. Also, on April 6, 2023 at about 2am, at Kelebe Area in Osogbo, the defendant allegedly stole 20 Kongo of rice and other good stuffs,valued N132,000, property of another trader, Olarewaju Rasheedat.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Akintunde Jacob informed the court that Fatai committed offences contrary to Section 383(1) and punishable under Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. Fatai pleaded not guilty to the allegations. His counsel, K. C. Abioye pleaded with the court to grant the defendant bail and assured that he would be available to stand his trial.
Magistrate A. O. Daramola granted Fatai bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in the same amount. The sureties are to possess two years tax clearance and resident within the court’s jurisdiction.
