Security guard appears in court for alleged stealing

Ibadan- The police in Ibadan, on Monday, arraigned a 24-year-old security guard, Benjamen Bitrus, before a Chief Magistrates’ Court, Iyaganku, on a three-count charge of conspiracy, store breaking and stealing. Bitrus was alleged to have broken into the office and store of his employer, Forte Oil Filling Station, along Lagos/Ibadan expressway. The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Salewa Hammed, said the accused conspired with five others, now at large, to cart away goods worth N356,650, property of one Mr Adeyemi Ismail. Items alleged to have been stolen included; a petrol generator, stabilisers and kegs of heavy duty oil. Hammed said that the accused acted contrary to Sections 516, 413 and 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, reports that Bitrus pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. Thereafter, the trial Judge, Mrs Abiona Richard, granted the accused bail in the sum of N150,000 with two sureties in like sum. She stated that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused and the other a level 8 civil servant with the Oyo State Government. The court adjourned the case to Dec. 28 for trial.