Date: 2016-09-01

Three businessmen were on Wednesday arraigned before an Ilorin Chief Magistrate Court for an alleged shop breaking and theft of mobile phones worth N7million.

They were: Adolphous Animbah, a 36 years old Phone Dealer, who resides at No 1 Computer Village, Ikeja Lagos; Ismaila Dauda, aged 35 years, and Rasheed Atanda, aged 56 years, who are into Lotto Business, both live at No 14 Yebade Street, Sango Ota, Ogun State.

The trio were charged for Criminal Conspiracy, Shop Breaking, Theft, Dishonesty Receiving Stolen Property contrary to sections 97, 355, 287 and 317 of Penal Code Law.

A First Information Report (FIR) obtained by The Guild said the case was consequent upon a report by one Abdullahi Yusuf, a shop owner at Kwara Hotel Shopping Complex, Ilorin, that his shop was burgled on August 6, 2016 by unknown hoodlums with different kinds of mobile phones worth N7million, stolen.

According to the FIR, investigation conducted at Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Ilorin revealed that one Musa Dauda, a former student of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin alongside his gang masterminded the shop breaking.

The Police added further investigation revealed that the second and third suspects allegedly assisted the said Dauda in selling the stolen phones to the first suspect (Adolphous Animbah). The Prosecutor, Godwin Azua told the court that investigation was on to track down the fleeing suspects and therefore urged the court to remand the accused in prison custody.

He argued that the suspects if granted bail may tamper with ongoing probe of the police. In his ruling, Magistrate J.B Salihu admitted the suspects to bail in the sum of N400,000 each and two sureties in the like sum. The matter, however, had been adjourned till September 15, 2016 for further mention.