The police on Friday arraigned eight men before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court for allegedly damaging the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) dock vessel at Igbeloju Village, Apapa.
The men are Edafe Onokurafe (38), Olaiya Olarewaju (38), Okechukwu Nwachukwu (38), Friday Enwere (45), Yezede Yusuf (27), Dauda Salisu (30), Salisu Mohammed (26) and Salisu Adamu (26). They are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and unlawful damage.
The port prosecutor, Sergeant Adeniyi Balogun, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on May 14, 2019 at about 5:30am at Igbeloju Village, Apapa.
“The defendants conspired together with others at large to steal 28 rolls of copper wire, 22 rolls of cable wire, one fuse board from NPA dock vessel, value yet unknown property of NPA,” Balogun said.
The port prosecutor also said that the defendants willfully and unlawfully damaged NPA dock vessel by cutting cable wires, copper wires affixed on the vessel.
According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 411, 287(d) and 351(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Magistrate R.T Oladele granted the defendants bail in the sum of N150,000 with two responsible sureties each in like sum.
The sureties are required to furnish the court with proof of tax payment to Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case till June 7, 2019 for mention.