Lukman Olabiyi
Two welders, who allegedly broke into a sealed warehouse and stole substandard electric cables confiscated by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), have been arranged before the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The welders are Chukwuma Nwodo, 31, of No. 8 Tobi Close, Mosafejo, Ojo-Alaba, and Abor Ikechukwu, 21, of 1, Collins Street, Alaba International Market, Lagos. They were docked before Justice Nicholas Oweibo by the Federal Government through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
While arraigning the duo yesterday, state counsel, Mr Babatunde Alajogun, who represented AGF, told the judge that the defendants committed the offences on or about August 21, 2019 at a warehouse behind Bengass Motor Park, Ojo-Alaba.
“They conspired to destroy the seal of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria which was used to seal up the warehouse which contained substandard cables using welding equipment,” he said.
The prosecutor also told the court how the defendants carried out the destruction using welding equipment and gained entrance into the warehouse “to cart away the substandard electric cables.”
The offences, the prosecutor added, contravened Sections 3(a) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 3(a) of the same Act.
However, both Nwodo and Ikechukwu pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, Alajogun, responding to not guilty plea of the defendants, prayed the court to remand them in prison pending trial.
He said: “We humbly make an application that the defendants be remanded in prison custody and for the court to fix a date for trial.
“We have two witnesses and we can finish this case in a few weeks.”
Defence counsel S. I. Onyema did not oppose him.
Onyema, who informed the judge that he had only just seen the case file, added: “We shall be asking for a date so that we can bring the necessary applications.”
Justice Oweibo upheld Alajogun’s prayer and adjourned the case till October 24 for trial. The defendants were remanded in prison.
