The police on Wednesday arraigned four men before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged stealing and malicious damage.

The defendants: Ojediran Tosin, 25; Idowu Oluwafemi, 21; Alex Oluwafemi, 20; and Sunday Oluwafemi, 22, are facing a three-count charge of stealing, malicious damage and possession of Indian hemp.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on February 3 at about 2am in Oye-Ekiti.

Mr Oriyomi alleged that the defendants, who were students in higher institutions, stole a motorcycle valued at N1.3 million belonging to one Adebayo Bukola, who was also a student.

He said, “The complainant parked his motorcycle in the hostel, then Ojediran Tosin asked him for his motorcycle key to lock his padlock. After a while, the complainant could not find his motorcycle where it was parked. The defendants also went to the complainants room and maliciously damaged his television valued at N480,000. They also had in their possession weeds suspected to be Indian hemp,.”

According to him, the offences contravened Section 302(1)(a), 302(1)(a) and Section 5(b) of the Indian Hemp Act LFN 2004.

The prosecutor asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and present his witnesses.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Counsel to the defendants, Adekunle Aworeni, urged the court to grant the defendants bail, with a promise that they would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, refused to grant the defendants bail and told the counsel to submit a written application for the bail of the defendants on the adjourned date.

Mr Adeosun ruled that the defendants be remanded in the correctional centre in Ado-Ekiti, till the adjourned date.

He adjourned the case till February 14 for ruling on the bail application.

(NAN)