A 48-year-old evicted tenant, Paul Orizu, was arraigned by the police before the Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Wednesday for stealing electrical fittings worth N500,000 from his former apartment.
The defendant is facing charges of repossession, breach of peace, and stealing preferred against him by the police.
The prosecutor, Supol Chinalu Uwadione, told the court that Orizu committed the offences on June 22, 2023, at about 9am. The incident occurred at No. 12/13, Badagry Expressway, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos.
Uwadione also informed the court that the defendant, without an order of the court, retook possession of an apartment from the landlord of House No. 12/13, Badagry Expressway, Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, who recently obtained possession and eviction through a writ of court. Orizu put his own padlock to lock the apartment after the Lagos State judicial personnel removed his property from the apartment.
Furthermore, Uwadione stated that Orizu conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by depriving the landlord of the house of taking over the possession of the apartment that he had previously occupied after he was evicted through the writ of court. He added that Orizu stole bulbs and electrical fittings valued at N500,000 from his former apartment.
Uwadione mentioned that the stolen properties belonged to the landlord, Mr Lawrence Abayomi.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened sections 104 (i) (h), 168 (d), and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Magistrate Waliu Salami granted him bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum. Salami stated that the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos state government and have their addresses verified.
The case was adjourned until April 15, 2024, for mention.