Thief caught after trying to sell stolen phone to victim’s wife
A thief identified as Felix Ayeye has been arraigned in a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos State, after being arrested while trying to sell the phone he stole from a bartender, Jones Adewoye, to his wife at their residence at Ajah State Area.
Adewoye was returning home when Ayeye and his gang members assaulted him in a dark place.
Appearing as the first witness for the prosecution, the bartender told Judge Modupe Nico-Clay that the thugs led by Ayeye allegedly stabbed him with a dagger and stole his phone and other items worth N78,000.
He claimed Ayeye, who faces two counts bordering on conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, was arrested while trying to sell the stolen phone to Adewoye’s wife.
Adewoye also told the court that Ayeye, who was remanded in custody for the crime, sent threatening messages to his wife.
He said;
“The incident happened in February 2019. I was coming home from work around 5:30 a.m. when I got out of the Uber car and drove through a dark street in Ajah. My headphones were on and my bag was in my back.
“Suddenly a torch was shone in my eyes and the defendant smashed a bottle over my head, used a dagger to stab my back twice, took all my things and left me on the ground in blood.
“When I got home, I told my wife to help me get a small phone to contact my business. She was trying to help me buy a small phone when she came back to inform me that someone wanted to sell a Samsung phone for N25,000.
“When the person who wanted to sell the phone to my wife came to my house, he didn’t change his clothes after he and his gang robbed me. So, I told the mobile policeman that he was the one who robbed me but he denied it.
“He said someone gave him the phone to sell. The policeman asked him to go get the person who gave him the phone but as the argument went on, my sim card and memory cards fell out of his pocket.
“His family members begged me and asked me how much the things he stole from me cost, I said 200,000 naira. The family brought 60,000 naira but I rejected it. I told them the case was already in the hands of the police and there was nothing I could do.
“But in 2020, the defendant started texting my wife from prison, threatening that when he got out of prison, he would deal with my wife.”
The prosecutor, Titilayo Olanrewaju-Daudu, said the offense committed contravened Sections 299 and 297(2)(b) of the Lagos State Criminal Act 2015.
The accused has already pleaded not guilty to the charge. After listening to testimony during the resumption of the hearing, Judge Nico-Clay adjourned the case until November 30, for the continuation of the trial.
