A teacher — Preye Joseph — who allegedly stole six bottles of perfume and a wristwatch valued at N140,000 from a doctor’s house, was on Thursday brought before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Preye, 45, who resides in Jibowu area of Lagos, is facing a charge of stealing.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that the offence was committed on Oct. 20, at Adebiodun Williams Street, Ogudu.
He said that the complainant, Opeyemi Adewole, a house help to the owner of the house, told the police that at 11:30 a.m., the accused knocked on the door to their apartment asking of her boss.
“The house help told her that he had gone to work and the accused pretended to have called him on phone in the presence of the house help, and told her that the owner of the house had asked her to wait for him.
“The house help opened the door for the accused to wait for her boss, while she went to have her bath.
“Some minutes after she had finished bathing, the accused told the house help that she was leaving, and that she should come and escort her to the gate,” the prosecutor said.
Ihiehie said that while they were going, a neighbour intercepted them and questioned the accused who claimed she came to see her sister, the house help.
“Immediately, the house help told the neighbour the truth about how the accused came to their apartment, and that it was her first time of seeing the accused.
“The accused then claimed to have come to visit one Mr Akanbi, who had brought her to that same apartment four years ago; but it was later discovered that the entire compound never existed as at that time,” he said.
Ihiehie said that when the bag of the accused was searched, six bottles of perfume and a wrist watch belonging to the house help’s boss were recovered.
He said the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The accused, however pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, granted the accused a bail of N50, 000 with two sureties, whose addresses must be verified.
She adjourned the case until Dec. 5.