Francis Iwuchukwu 
A Lagos-based lawyer, Kelvin Abiodun Olu, has been arraigned by the police at a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court over alleged N19.2 million theft and N7.5 million property damage The 45-year-old lawyer was arraigned before the court presided over by Magistrate T. O. Babalola on five counts of conspiracy, stealing, malicious damage, assault and breach of peace on a charge marked L/14/2023.
According to the prosecutor, Francis Igbenose, Olu and his alleged accomplices committed the offence between January 28 and February 4, 2023, at about 11 pm at No. 34b, Talabi Street, Boet Estate, ABC Bus Stop, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos.
The prosecutor further alleged that the lawyer and others now at large “did steal two crocodile shoes valued at N150,000, one brown belt valued at N375,000, one wallet valued at N225,000, two Nike shoes valued at N150,000, Movado wristwatch valued at N9,000, Rolex wristwatch valued at N7,500,000, buckle sandal valued at N80,000, black wall frame with silver leaf valued at N60,000, Tecno Pop 6 valued at N65,000), Tecno Pop 3 valued at N45,000, eight bundles of new wrappers valued at N64,000)”.
The defendants were also accused of stealing a “Nutribullet blender SS plus valued at N95,000, a wireless bluetooth speaker valued at N15,000, 12 company Glo SIM cards and one Airtel SIM card.” The allegedly stolen items were valued by the police at N19,296,300 and said to be the property of the duo of Jude Obiakor and Mrs Obiakor Onyinye Jacinta.
The defendant was further accused of damaging a treadmill valued at N375,000, sofa worth N2.250,000, a North Shore table of N1.875m and an LG3 French door with ice maker valued at N3m According to the police, Olu and others at large “did unlawfully assault one, Obiakor Onyinye Jacinta, wife of one, Jude Obiakor by pushing her to the gate.”
In count five, the lawyer and others were said to have conducted themselves “in a manner likely to cause a breach of public peace by unlawfully detaining property belonging to one, Mr Jude Obiakor and Mrs Obiakor Onyinye Ja- cinta”. The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 144, 168(d), 172, 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
But Olu pleaded not guilty to the charge, prompting Magistrate Babalola to grant him bail on self-recognizance. The matter has been adjourned to May 22 for mention.
