Man docked over alleged house breaking, stealing

A 26-year-old man, Femi Oladele, was on Thursday docked before an Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court over alleged house breaking and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Asp Emmanuel Abdullahi, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 23 around 12:00 noon at No. 8, line 12, Ifelere quarters, Ondo Road, Ile-Ife.

Abdullahi said that the defendant broke into the dwelling house of one Olaniyan Yinusa with intent to commit a felony therein.

He added that the defendant stole Tecno L9 plus phone; six packs of Hollandia Youghurt; half bag of rice and N180,000 cash, all totalling N271,000, from Yinusa’s home.

According to him, the defendant conducted himself in a manner that may likely have caused a total breakdown of law and order by breaking the kitchen window net of the house.

Abdullahi explained that the crime caused a great pandemonium in the area when he was caught.

The Prosecutor expressed further that the offence contravened sections 249(d) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge of intent to commit felony, house breaking and stealing.

The Defence Counsel, Mr Victor Egede, applied for the bail of the defendant in most liberal terms, promising that his client would not jump bail, but would provide responsible sureties.

Magistrate O.T. Badmus, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like amount.

Badmus added that the surety must swear an affidavit of means, reside within the court’s jurisdiction and address to be verified by the prosecutor.

According to him, the surety must produce a means of identification that is tenable in Nigeria, present a three-year tax clearance certificate with three recent passport photographs.

Meanwhile, he ordered for the remand of the client at the Ile-Ife Nigerian Correctional Centre, pending the perfection of his bail.

The case was adjourned until July 27, for hearing.