Carpenter Docked Over Cell Phone Theft In Church

 

Photo credit Google

An apprentice carpenter, Ifeanyi Onuh, accused of breaking into a church to steal cell phones during prayers was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

Onuh, 25, a resident of No. 8, Ladipe St., Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, is being tried for alleged burglary and stealing.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Aug. 20, at Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.

He said that the accused unlawfully entered into the premises of Redeemed Christian Church of God, to steal the phones, property of Mr Odebole Olaiya and Mrs Adesanmi Olayinka.

"The accused broke the zinc and ceiling to gain access into the church to steal two phones during a prayer session.

"He stole a Techo phone valued at N27,000 and a blackberry phone valued at N50,000," he alleged.

Olatunde said that the complainants were charging their phones inside the church, but could not see the phones after the prayer session.

The prosecutor said that the accused made a confessional statement that he was the one that broke the ceiling and zinc to steal the phones.

"He said that he sold the phones at the rate of N5,000 and N6,000 respectively, immediately after the theft."

The offences, Olatunde said, contravened Sections 285 and 305 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 305 prescribes a seven- year jail term as penalty for offenders.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 with one surety in like sum.

The Magistrate, Mr Aka Bashorun, adjourned the case till Sept. 21 for mention.