Court remands man for alleged theft, arson

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday ordered that a 33-year-old man, Bright Izuwa, be remanded in Kirikiri correction centre for allegedly setting his employer’s studio office ablaze and stealing a printing machine worth N20million.

The police charged Izuwa, who resides in Ikeja, Lagos with conspiracy, stealing, arson and malicious damage.

The Magistrate, Mrs. H. B Mogaji, did not take the plea of Izuwa for want in jurisdiction.

Mogaji ordered him to be remanded in Kirikiri until Oct. 30 for Director of Public Prosecution’s legal advice.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Insp. Felicia Okwori told the court that the offence was committed on Feb. 25 at the Salvation Road, Opebi, Lagos.

The prosecutor said that Izuwa worked in the complainant, Mr. Yemisi Imade’s studio.

Okwori said that sometime in January the complainant transferred N20million to Izuwa to purchase a”Konika” printing machine for the studio.

Okwori alleged that on Feb. 25, the suspect who lied to the complainant that the machine was already in the studio but that there was a fire outbreak in the studio.

The Prosecutor said that as a result of the fire outbreak, many machines were destroyed, including the one Izuwa supposedly bought.

Okwori also alleged that the suspect intentionally set studio ablaze to cover up for the stolen machine.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 287, 307, 341 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015