4 men face charges of stealing 399 batteries from Custom warehouse
Akin Kuponiyi
Nigeria Customs Service has arraigned four men, Saheed Mohammed, Kola LAteef, Peter Ojodomo, and Salihu Akpakpo alleged to have stolen 399 pieces of batteries before a Federal high court sitting in Lagos, south west Nigeria.
They were alleged to have stolen the batteries from the Nigeria Customs Service Government warehouse, Ikorodu area of Lagos state.
According to the eight-count Amended criminal charge number FHC/C/L/373C/2022 filed before the court by prosecuting counsels for Customs, Legal unit , Federal operations zone A Nigeria Customs service Ikeja, Mrs C.C. Igboko and Micheal, Osong,it was further alleged that the accused men without any lawful authority and not being officers of the Nigeria customs Service, fraudulently assumed the character of an officer to obtain admission into the Government Warehouse for the purposes of unlawfully removing therefrom 399Batteries deposited at a 12feet container number BSIU 22830708 Property of the Nigeria customs Service. They thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 10 of the Custom and Excise Management Act,Cap.45,Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004.
They all pleaded not guilty, thereafter, the presiding Judge Lewis Allagoa granted them bail in the sum of N10milion each with two sureties each who must be residence in lagos,thereafter adjourned for trial to commence.
The full details of the charge filed against the defendants.
COUNT 1
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef, Male, Adult, Peter Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire among yourselves to commit felonies, to wit: wilful destruction of property and malicious damage and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3(6) Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 1(3) (a) of the same Act.
COUNT 2
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef, Male, Adult, Peter Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs
Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, unlawfully and wilfully damage Nigeria Customs Service’s 1 by 12 Feet Container Number BSIU 2283078, containing batteries, at Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, property of the Federal Government of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(3) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 1(3)(2) of the same Act.
COUNT 3
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef, Male, Adult, Peter Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire among yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
COUNT 4
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef, Male, Adult, Peter Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did steal 399 pieces of batteries, deposited in 1 by 12 Feet Container Number BSIU 2283078, valued N10, million, (Ten Million Naira), property of the Nigeria Customs Service and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 382 and 383 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 390(4) (f) of the same Act.
COUNT 5
That you Saheed Mohammed, Male ,Adult Kola Lateef Male Adult,Peter Ojodomo Male Adult Salihu Akpakpo,Male Adult, Lateef, and others at large on or about the 20th day of October,2021at the Nigeria Customs service Government Warehouse Ikorodu Area, Lagos state within jurisdiction of this Honourable court, without lawful permission or authority wilfully destroyed a 1 by 12 feet section the Federation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 98(3) of the Custom and Excise Management Act, Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,2004
COUNT 6
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef Male, Adult, Peter Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 2oth day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without any lawful permission or authority, unlawfully removed therefrom 300 batteries from a 1 by 12 Feet Container Number BSIU 2283078, property of the Nigeria Customs Service. and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 98(4)(5) of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
COUNT 7
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef, Male, Adult, Peter Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, wi hin the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without any lawful permission or authority from a proper officer, unlawfully gained access into the Government Warehouse and stole 309 batteries from a 1 by 12 Feet Container Number BSIU 2283078 warehoused therein and thereby committed an offence contrary to
and punishable under section 98(1) of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
COUNT 8
That you, Saheed Mohammed, Male, Adult, Kola Lateef, Male, Adult, Peter
Ojodomo, Male, Adult and Salihu Akpakpo, Male, Adult and others now at large, on or about the 20th day of October, 2021, at the Nigeria Customs Service’s Government Warehouse, Ikorodu Area, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without any lawful authority and not being officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, fraudulently assumed the character of an officer to obtain admission into the Government Warehouse for purposes of unlawfully removing therefrom 399 batteries deposited in a 1 by 12 Feet Container Number BSIU 2283078, property of the Nigeria Customs Service, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 10 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.