A Chief Magistrate Court ,Yaba ,Lagos has remanded two men, Lawrence Ogbechie age 60 and Arinze Umeh Chinonso age 43 in Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos for allegedly stealing three Lexux cars worth N37, 500,000.
Magistrate Mrs E. Kubeinje remanded the two defendants sequel to their arraignment before court on a five counts charge bothering on conspiracy and felony to wit stealing .
According to the five counts charge number A/09/2025 filed by men of the police legal unit, Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, Lawrence Ogbechie age 60 and Arinze Umeh Chinonso age 43 were alleged to have on the 27th of January 2024 at Ijesa Market area Lagos did conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the criminal cede laws of Lagos State 2015.
The duo were also alleged to have at the same date, time and place in the Magisterial District, did steel 3 Lexu ES 350 Car 2008 mode! valued at Twelve Million, total value N37 500,000 property of Nnochiri Sunday and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 280 of criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
When the matter came up for trial on Monday, the prosecutor Rita Momah (DSP) informed the trial magistrate that the prosecution has a five counts charge pending before the court and urge the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendants can take their plea.
The charge was then read and the defendants pleaded not guilty to same.
Following Ogbechie and Chinonso plea of not guilty, the prosecutor ask the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand them in custody pending trial.
However , counsel to the defendants informed the court that she has an application for the bail of the defendants which she consequently moved.
Ruling on the bail application, Magistrate Mrs E. Kubeinje granted bail to the two defendants in the sum of N5million each with two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not bellow grade level 14 in the service of the Lagos state government or the Federal Government, while the second surety must be a property owner within Lagos State with both house and office addresses of the sureties to be verified by the Registrar of the court.
The court also ordered that both sureties must produce three years Tax Clearance Certificate and deposit two passport photographs each to the court Registrar.
She then adjourned the matter till March 24,2025.
The charge against the defendants reads:
That you Lawrence Ogbechie ‘M’, Arinze Umeh Chinoso ‘m’, on 27″ January, 2024 at about 1000hrs at Ijesa, Market area Lagos In the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the criminal cede laws of Lagos State 2015.
That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO °M’, at the sane date time and place in Magisterial District, did steel 3 Lexus ES 350 Car 2008 mode! value Twelve Million, Five Hundres Thousand (N12 500,000) each total value (N37 500,000) Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira property of Nnochir Sunday and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 280 of criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘’M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘M’, at same date, time and place in aforementioned magisterial district did steal 3 Lexus car 2008 model valued N12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each total value Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira entrusted to you for clearing by one NNOCHIRI SUNDAY thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 247(9b) of the criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE °M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘M’, at same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did stea! 3 Lexus car 2008 model valued N12,900,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each total value Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N37,590,000) at the point of offoading it from container that brought the car from oversea and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 287(5b) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘M’, at the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did steal 3 Lexus car 2008 model valued N12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each total value Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N37,500,000) property of one Sunday Nnochiri and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 287 (10) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
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