Date: 2017-01-27

A 31-year-old driver, Abdulrasak Kasali, was on Thursday ordered to be remanded in prison by an Omu-Aran Upper Area Court over the alleged theft of 25 goats.

Kasali, a resident of Sapati area in Ilorin, is standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft.

He pleaded not guilty when the charge were read to him.

The accused was said to have been arrested by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Omu-Aran Area Command, at Afon junction in Ilorin, following a tip-off.

According to the Prosecutor, Ambali Elere of the NSCDC, two other members of the syndicate that allegedly specialised in stealing goats within Oro, Oke-Onigbin and Omu-Aran axis of the state, were still at large.

Elere said Kasali had while being interrogated confessed to committing the offenses.

He said the accused had mentioned one Roseline Aremu, a trader based in Oko town, a suburb of Omu Aran, as the receiver of the stolen goats.

Elere objected to the bail of the accused, saying the case of goat stealing had become rampant in the area and that investigation on the case was still ongoing.

The prosecutor said the offences for which Kasali was arraigned contravened Sections 96 and 287 of the Penal Code.

The NSCDC also arraigned 48-year -old Roseline, a trader and alleged buyer of the goats, before the court, for allegedly receiving stolen items.

The prosecutor, Elere said one Fatai Raheem of Oke-Aro Compound, Omu-Aran had on Jan. 22 lodged a complaint with the NSCDC Division over the theft of his goat.

He said Raheem claimed that it was during the search for his missing goat that he got wind that one Roseline who resided in Oko was into buying and selling of goats and decided to check for the missing goat.

"Raheem told us that he and a friend had approached Roseline at Oko, pretending to be buyers but she vehemently declined selling goats.

"But unfortunately for her, as they were about leaving, sounds of bleating goats were heard inside the compound and they promptly reported the case.

"It was during our raid of the compound that Raheem was able to identify his goats and two others belonging to his neighbours among several goats in the compound," Elere told the court.

Roseline, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, who had earlier objected to the bail of the accused, said the offence contravened Section 317 of the Penal Code.

The Judge, Sameul Fagbemi, while remanding the two accused persons, said the reasons adduced by the prosecutor was rightly submitted and genuine.

Fagbemi adjourned the cases to Feb. 8, for mention.

(NAN)