Bus conductor in court for house breaking, stealing property worth N1.3million

A 20-year-old bus conductor, Jamiu Rafiu, on Wednesday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly burgling a house and stealing property worth N1.3million. Rafiu, whose residential address was not provided, is being tried for conspiracy, burglary and stealing. According to the prosecutor, Insp. Victor Eruada, the accused committed the offences, with others still at large, on March 23 at No. 11, Cappa Avenue, Palmgroove Estate, Ilupeju, Lagos. He said that the accused conspired to burgle the residence of one Dare Alabi, and stole his property and cash. “Rafiu broke into the complainant’s apartment through the window, stole 3 Ipad phones, 3 laptop computers, 4 phones, 7 Automated Teller Machines (ATM) cards of different banks, a driver licence and N15,000 cash, totalling 1.3 million,” he said. Eruada said the complainant woke up and discovered that his property had been carted away. He said that Rafiu was arrested when he came a second time to steal from Alabi’s neighbour, while his accomplice escaped. “The accused was questioned by the Police, and he confessed to stealing the items,” he said. The offences contravened Sections 287, 307 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 307 prescribes a seven-year jail term for burglary. The accused pleaded innocence and was granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. The Magistrate, Mrs Dan Oni, said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government. The case was adjourned until May 16, for the mention