An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded a 27-year-old job applicant, Jacob Odili, in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, for allegedly robbing a man of N70,000 cell phone, with a toy gun.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.A. Aderibigbe, who gave the order, did not take the plea of the defendant.
She said that Odili should be remanded pending advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Aderibigbe ordered the police to duplicate the case file and send to the DPP for advice.
Odili, who resides at Igando, Lagos, was charged with robbery and stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Mojirade Edeme, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on Nov. 17, at Igando.
She said the defendant used a toy gun to rob the complainant, Mr Adefehinti Adeyanju, of a cell phone.
He said that the defendant accosted the complainant, pointed the gun at him, demanded his cell phone and threatened to shoot him if he would refuse to comply.
“For fear of not being killed, the complainant quickly surrendered his phone.
“But unknown to the defendant, the complainant knew him where he was living before; so, he went there to report to the community leaders.
“The defendant was eventually arrested but had sold the phone,” Edeme said.
The alleged offences violate Sections 287 and 296 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 provides for three years’ jail term for stealing while Section 296 prescribes 21 years’ imprisonment for robbery.
The case was adjourned until Jan. 17, for mention.
