The acccused Osaro Ayevah

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

An Oredo Magistrate’s Court in Benin, Edo State Tuesday ordered the remand of a 23-year-old man in prison custody, for allegedly ‎stealing properties worth N196,000, belonging to Osagie Osayande, son of the State Comptroller of Prisons, Amadin Osayande.
The accused, identified as one Osaro Ayewah, who committed the offence at about 10am on May 5, 2017, ‎was arraigned on a two-count charge, bothering on breaking and stealing.
He was accused of breaking into Osayande’s residence on Ogumweuyi Street, within Aruogba community, in Oredo local government area of the State.
The Police Prosecutor, Ojo Thomas, told the court that the offences were punishable under Sections​ 411(2) and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable in Edo.
The accused pleaded guilty when‎ the charges were read to him.
Counsel to the accused, Emmanuel Usoh, however objected to the guilty plea made by the accused and asked for an adjournment to enable him prove his case.
Earlier, the Court was told that the 23-year-old bus driver forced his way into the apartment through one of the windows, after scaling through the perimeter fence when his victims were away on a social engagement.
Amongst valuable items Ayewah ‎made away with included one LG plasma TV valued at N150,000, jewellery worth N40,000 and a satellite decoder valued at N6,000.
But unfortunately for him, he was sighted by a resident in the area as he returned to the apartment two days later after the first successful mission.
‎The wife of the victim, Mrs. Imelda Osayande, disclosed that Ayewah also made away with some of her clothes, which he wore on the day he was arrested by some members of a local vigilante in the area, following a distress call.
Osay‎ande, who is also a journalist with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said, “He (the accused) said that he sold the plasma TV for N12,000. He was asked who the owner of the clothes was and he admitted that he took them from my room.
‎”He wore my shirt on the day he was caught; he wore my jeans, belt and shirt.”
However, the Presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Isi Iyoha, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till May, 15 to enable Counsel to the accused ‎prove his case.