Man Arraigned Thrice in Same Court for Same Offence

Ladipo Sanusi

A man was, on Tuesday, arraigned the third time, in the same court, for the same offence.

Described as a serial thief by the police, Emeka Igwe was arraigned alongside an accomplice, Taiye Ajayi, at an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing electricity cables valued at N500, 000.

The court, presided over by Magistrate W. B. Balogun, heard that the accused persons stole the cables from the Eko Atlantic City.

The defendants, who were arrested by men of the VIctoria Island Police Division, pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The 25-year-old Igwe claimed he is a boat driver, while Ajayi, 28, said he was a commuter bus driver.

Police prosecutor, Emby Ingobo, told the Court that the offence committed by the defendants was punishable under Sections 277 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.

He said the pair were serial cable thieves, who had been arrested for the same offence in the past. He added that one of the defendants, Igwe, had been convicted twice by the same court for cable theft.

The prosecutor stated: “They are both serial cable thieves and had been arrested for the same offence before now. The first defendant, Igwe, has been prosecuted and convicted by this court twice for stealing cables from the Eko Atlantic project site.

“On both occasions, he was sentenced to community service and after serving his sentence, went back to commit the same crime.”

Ingobo said the defendants were arrested by policemen at the site of the Eko Atlantic project between 5.30am and 7.30am, on April 15, while they were digging out the underground cables and cutting them into pieces.

Ingobo said the cables were the property of ITB Construction Company working at the site of the project.

Following their guilty plea, Magistrate Balogun remanded the defendants in prison custody and adjourned matter till April 21 for sentencing.