Car dealer faces N1.2m theft charge

A 43-year-old car dealer, Temidayo Ayebo, who allegedly sold a car worth N1.2 million without owner’s consent, was on Friday brought before an Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The defendant whose residential address was not provided, is standing trial on a two-count charge of breach of peace and stealing preferred against him by the police.

The prosecutor, ASP Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometime in August, 2022, at Ikotun.

Aigbokhan said that the defendant presented himself to the complainant, one Hammed Adebowale, as a professional car dealer.

“The defendant promised to bring someone to buy the complainant’s 2008 model of Toyota Hyundai car marked KRD 379 GV and valued at N1.2 million.

“The defendant took the car away, sold it with a different document, without the complainant’s consent,” the prosecutor said.

Aigbokhan said the defendant converted the money realised from the car to his own use.

According to him, the defendant conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 168(d) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant denied the charge.

Magistrate Miss K. A. Ariyo, however, grated him bail in the sum of N300,000 with sureties in like sum.

Ariyo ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed and one of the sureties mus