One Bature Anumiuyu, a landlady, was on Thursday granted N100,000 bail by an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing bags of foodstuff worth N297,000 from a tenant’s shop.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Magistrate, Mr. J.A. Adegun, ordered the accused to provide a surety in like sum that must be gainfully employed.
He also ruled that the surety must provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the case to January 17 for hearing.
The 33-year-old woman is facing three counts of burglary, stealing and a breach of the peace.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Babaji Ishaku, told the court that the accused committed the offences at Aremu Lawal Street, New Oko-Oba in Abule-Egba area of Lagos State, at about 2:30 p.m. on December 5, 2016.
He alleged that the landlady broke into the shop of the complainant, Mr. John Omeoha, one of her tenants.
“The accused made away with 15 bags of rice, four bags of beans and three bags of garri, all valued at N297,000.
“The complainant said that he locked up his shop for some time because his wife had just given birth.
“He said that his landlady had asked him to move out of the shop that she wanted to make use of it.
“The complainant pleaded with her to give him more time to secure an alternative place.
“But on the said date when the complainant passed by the shop, he found out that his shop had been burgled and some goods carted away,’’ he said.
Ishaku said the case was reported to the police and after a series of investigations, the accused was arrested.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 166, 285 and 307 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
