Four men were arraigned on Thursday before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing 600 bags of 50kg maize from an exporter, Alhaji Garuba Ibrahim.
The four are Kasimu Yaya, 35, Momoh Mohammed, 37, Yusuf Aliyu, 43 and Olaitan Ojo, 40.
They were brought before the court on a five-count charge bothering on conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Alexander Esebamen told the court that the defendants committed the offence on September 10, 2017 at Apapa.
Esebamen said Yaya, Mohammed and Ojo stole 600 bags of 50kg maize worth N4.5 million belonging to Ibrahim. He added that the trio later sold the 600 bags of maize one Aliyu, who dishonestly received the 600 bags of maize
from Yaya and Mohammed which he knew were stolen.
Esebamen also said that Ojo received N225,000 from Mohammed knowing fully well that the money was a proceed from sales of the stolen property.
According to him, the offences contravened sections 411, 287, 280 (b), 328(1) and 286 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The four men pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought against them.
The Magistrate, Mrs Adenike Alaka granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till November 23, 2017 for mention.