Three unemployed men were on Monday docked in a Magistrates’ Court in Ota, Ogun for allegedly breaking into a shop and stealing 10 bags of rice worth N600,000.
The police charged Abdulrasaq Quawil, 22; Motunrayo Akinyole, 31 and Uchenna Chukwu, 31 with theft and conspiracy.
The Prosecution Counsel, Insp E.O Adaraloye, told the court that defendants and others at large, committed the offence on May 10, at about 4 a.m., in Sango-Ota.
Adaraloye said that the defendants and their accomplices broke into the shop of the complainant, Ms Funke Oyejide and also stole bags of melon seeds worth N60,000.
He said that the defendants were apprehended by the community vigilante group.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 427 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Laws, 2006.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Magistrate A.O. Adeyemi admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.
Adeyemi ordered that the surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must be gainfully employed.
She adjourned the matter until June 8 for further hearing.