Court remands two men over alleged theft of 3 Lexus Cars valued N37.5m, fixes trial March 24
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A Yaba Chief Magistrate Court Lagos, has remanded two men, Lawrence Ogbechie and Arinze Umeh Chinonso in Ikoyi Correctional Centre, Lagos for allegedly stealing three Lexus cars worth N37,500,000.
The Magistrate, Mrs E. Kubeinje remanded the two defendants after their arraignment before court on a five counts charge bothering on conspiracy and felony to wit: stealing and breach of trust.
According to the five counts charge marked/09/2025 filed by men of the police legal unit, Zone Two Command , Police Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, Lawrence Ogbechie age 60 and Arinze Umeh Chinonso age 43 were alleged to have on the 27th of January 2024 at Ijesa Market area of Lagos, conspired among themselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2015.
The duo were also alleged to have at the same date, time and place within the Magisterial District, did steel 3 Lexus ES 350 Car 2008 model valued at N12, 500, 000 each, which total value is N37 500,000, property of Nnochiri Sunday and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 280 of Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
When the matter came up for arraignment, the prosecutor Rita Momah (DSP) informed the trial magistrate that the prosecution has a five counts charge pending before the court and urged the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendants can take their plea.
The charge was then read and the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Following the defendants plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand them in custody pending trial.
However , counsel to the defendants informed the court that she has an application for the bail of the defendants which she consequently moved. Prosecution did not oppose the application.
Ruling on the bail application, Magistrate Mrs E. Kubeinje granted bail to the two defendants in the sum of N5 million each with two sureties in like sum.
The magistrate ordered that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not bellow Grade Level 14 in the service of the Lagos state government or the Federal Government, while the second surety must be a property owner within Lagos State with both house and office addresses of the sureties to be verified by the Registrar of the court.
The court further ordered that both sureties must produce three years Tax Clearance Certificate and deposit two passport photographs each to the court Registrar.
She then adjourned the matter till March 24, 2025 for trial.
The charge against the defendants reads:
“That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘m’, on 27th January, 2024 at about 10.00hrs at Ijesa, Market area Lagos In the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspired among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Code Law of Lagos State 2015.
“That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO °M’, at the same date, time and place in the Magisterial District, did steel 3 Lexus ES 350 Car 2008 model value Twelve Million, Five Hundred Thousand (N12 500,000) each, total value (N37 500,000) Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira, property of Nnochiri Sunday and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 280 of Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
“That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘’M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘M’, at same date, time and place in aforementioned magisterial district did steal 3 Lexus car 2008 model valued N12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each, total value Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira, entrusted to you for clearing by one NNOCHIRI SUNDAY and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 247(9b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
“That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE °M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘M’, at same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did stea! 3 Lexus car 2008 model valued N12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each total value Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N37,500,000) at the point of offloading the cars from the container that brought the them from oversea and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 287(5b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
“That you LAWRENCE OGBECHIE ‘M’, ARINZE UMEHI CHINONSO ‘M’, at the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district did steal 3 Lexus car 2008 model valued N12,500,000 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira) each, total value Thirty Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N37,500,000) property of one Sunday Nnochiri and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 287 (10) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
