An 85-year-old woman, Taiwo Ayodeji and Nosiru Isa, 18, on Thursday appeared before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrates' Court charged with stealing a Blackberry phone and other valuables.
The police prosecutor, Insp. Augustine Ozimini, told the court that the alleged offences were committed on February 23, at about 9 p.m. at Abule Oyun Street, Lafenwa in Abeokuta.
Ozimini said that the octogenarian conspired with the teenager to commit felony, stealing and breaking into the room of one Mr Raheem Olusola.
According to him, apart from the blackberry phone, the accused stole one gold necklace, one palmtop computer, six shirts, shoes, jeans, WAEC and GCE certificates.
He added that N75,000 cash was also missing in the complainant’s room, adding that that "the total value of the items stolen is N244,000.
The police prosecutor said that the alleged offences were contrary to and punishable under Sections 516, 411 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code of Ogun, 2006.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the old woman, Ayodeji said, "I was only trying to help him because there was flooding as a result of downpour.
"I don’t have the strength and that is why I called our neighbour who is also his friend (Isa) to help pack his property to the backyard.
"Nothing is missing from what we packed, how can the complainant now say that we have stolen his things is what I don’t understand."
She added that her intention was to save property of the complainant from further damage.
"I made several unsuccessful attempts to reach him (complainant) on phone to inform him of the incident,'' she claimed.
The counsel to the accused persons, Mr Michael Itiolu, also said that his clients were innocent of the charges.
He said that the complainant was a sub-tenant to Ayodeji because the apartment was transferred to him by someone who rented it from the defendant.
Itiolu, thereafter, applied for the bail of the accused persons, and gave the assurance that they would not jump bail.
In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Akeem Adenariwo, granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N50,000 each, with one surety each in like sum.
He adjourned the case to May 28, for hearing. (NAN
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