For allegedly breaking into a school to steal phones, two persons, Qudus Bello and Teslim Mukartdas, were on Monday brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
Bello, 19, a tailor, and Mukartdas, 15, a student, who are both residents of Oshodi, Lagos, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, on a four-count charge of conspiracy, burglary, damage and stealing.
The duo, however, pleaded not guilty and was admitted to a bail of N500,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Osunsanmi said the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The accused committed the offences on April 29 at Oshodi Junior High School, Oshodi, Lagos, the Police Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court.
He said the accused damaged the school’s ceiling, property of Lagos State Government.
“The accused broke the ceiling to gain access into the Vice-Principal’s office to steal five phones, the values of which were yet to be ascertained.
“Mukartdas, a student of the school came with Bello at night to steal the phones that were seized from some students and kept in the V.P’s office.
“They also drank all the soft drinks in the V.P’s refrigerator,” Ayorinde alleged.
Ayorinde said the following morning, the school received a tip-off from one of the students that the accused were behind the theft.
“Mukartdas was questioned and he confessed that he burgled the V.P’s office because his girlfriend’s phone was among the seized phones.
“The accused were arrested and handed over to the police,” the prosecutor said.
The offences contravened Sections 287, 307 (c), 350 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 307 (c) prescribes life jail term for burglary.
The case was adjourned until June 27 for mention. (NAN)