Three men, Oyewusi Omotade, Kayode Fagbuyiro, and Abu Enemona, were on Tuesday arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged theft of cocoa valued N80 million.

Omotade, 28, Fagbuyiro, 45, and Enemona, 30, who reside at Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, are facing a two-count charge of store breaking and stealing.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants and others now at large, committed the offence at about 2.00a.m on July 15, at Ilumoba-Ekiti.

Mr Oriyomi said that the defendants, also employees of the complainant, Olubodun Arinde, broke into his company’s cocoa store and stole 94 bags of cocoa valued at N80 million.

He said that the offences contravened Section 324 (1) and (2) and 302(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

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

Counsel to the defendants, Messrs Lawrence Fasanmi and Timi Omotosho, did not object to the prosecutor’s application.

They however prayed the court to grant the defendants bail, and promised that they would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties each, in like sum.

Mr Adeosun said that one of the sureties must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 12.

He adjourned the case until September 13 for hearing.

(NAN)