The police on Monday arraigned two men before the Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for stealing a bag of rice.

The defendants, Agbo Agbonopo, 20, and Salisu Abubakar, 25, whose addresses were not stated, are standing trial on charges bordering on stealing.

They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Edet Ekpo, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on February 2, at about 2:30 p.m., in the Gbaji area of the Seme border in Badagry.

Mr Ekpo alleged that the defendants conspired to steal one bag of rice valued at N58,000 belonging to one Francis Adeyemi, a nominal complainant.

He alleged that the defendants were arrested while planning to sell the bag of rice and were consequently handed over to the police.

The chief magistrate, Nurudeen Layeni, granted the defendants bail of N500,000 each, with two sureties each in the like sum.

He held that one of the sureties must be a community leader.

Mr Layeni adjourned the case until March 4 for mention.

(NAN)