A 20-year-old cleaner, Nonso Ezekuwe, and a housekeeper, Ebuka Mgbaka, 27, on Tuesday, appeared before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing and receiving stolen property worth $1, 950.
The cleaner, who works at Ogudu GRA, is standing trial for conspiracy and stealing, while the housekeeper residing in Oduntan Street, Ketu is charged with conspiracy and receiving stolen property.
The duo, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
The Prosecutor, Insp Donjour Perezi, told the court that the complainant, Mr Samson Ajanaku, a computer engineer, discovered that a laptop he kept inside his bag, which he got from a client for repair, was stolen.
Perezi said that the complainant discovered from a closed circuit television camera footage in the office that the cleaner was searching the same laptop bag.
He said that cleaner conspired with the housekeeper who received and retained the laptop, valued at $1,950 (equivalent to N1, 281,072).
Perezi said that the defendants committed the offences on June 12 at Ogudu Ori-Oke, Ogudu, Lagos.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 287(7), 328 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 328 stipulates 14 years imprisonment for anyone convicted of receiving stolen property.
The Magistrate, Mrs M.O. Tanimola, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
Tanimola adjourned the case till July 19 for mention. (NAN)