29/07/2026
๐ฆ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข ๐๐ข๐ก๐ข ๐๐๐ฆ๐;
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฌ. ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ (๐) ๐๐๐๐ 39 ๐๐๐๐๐ (๐ช๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ต๐: ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ซ/๐ซ/1/2022)
The Defendant; ๐๐ฏ๐๐ธ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐๐ธ๐๐๐ฑ๐ถ (๐๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ฆ๐) was was arrested in 2021 but arraigned on 10th January, 2022 on two (2) counts charge to wit:
๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ ๐: That you Ebuka Chukwudi โMโ, on the 18th day of October, 2021 and 24th day of December, 2021 at No. 1, Prolific Drive Valley View Estate, Olu-Odo, Ikorodu, Lagos State, in the Ikorodu Magisterial District did break and enter one Akinleye Victory โfโ house with the intent to commit felony and having committed felony therein and break out, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 307 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ ๐๐: That you Ebuka Chukwudi โMโ, on the same dates, time, and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did steal (1) Earring valued N40, 000 (Forty Thousand Naira) (2) Pendant valued N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) (3) Big Earring valued N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira) (4) Necklace valued N110, 000 (One Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) (5) Physical Cash of N70, 000 (Seventy Thousand Naira) (6) Wristwatch valued N18, 000 (Eighteen Thousand Naira) (7) One Pillow case valued N1,000 (One Thousand Naira) (8) Driverโs License and GT Bank ATM card, and use the ATM to withdraw N56,000 (Fifty Six Thousand Naira) from her Bank Account Number 0000000000 and converted same to your personal use, total value of property stolen N392, 000 (Three Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand naira), property of one Akinleye Victory โfโ and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
The defendant pleaded โNOT GUILTYโ to the two counts charge and consequently was admitted to bail, but was unable to perfect the bail due to the fact that he couldnโt meet up with the bail conditions, therefore he has been in the custody at Kirikiri Correctional Facility since the date of his arraignment till he was discharged.
Trial commenced on the 17th March, 2022 and in the cause of the trial, the Prosecution called three witnesses โ (PW1 โ Akinleye Victory โfโ Chinoso, the nominal complainant; PW2 โ Yisa Baala Ahaji โmโ a security guard with the Nigerian Legion and lastly PW3 โ ASP Ayo Saturday). The defence, on the other hand, called two witnesses; namely โ Ebuka Chukwudi โmโ, (the defendant) โ DW1 and one Mrs. Joy Awolowo โ DW2.
The trial lasted for over two years and the matter was finally adjourned to the 22nd May, 2024 for adoption of Final Written Address. The final address of the defendant was filed with the leave of the court on the 23rd July 2025 and same was adopted on the 4th September, 2025.
Upon final review of the fact of the case, all the evidence adduced and due consideration of final addresses, the honourable affirmed that the prosecution failed to establish and prove the guilt of the defendant beyond reasonable doubt, therefore the court found that the defendant is not guilty of the two count charge preferred against him.
Consequently, the defendant was discharged, acquitted and released from the correctional facility forthwith; 11th June, 2026.
๐. ๐ข. ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ผ๐น๐ฎ, ๐๐๐พ.
๐น๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก (๐๐ ๐๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ด ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐ต๐๐๐๐โ ๐๐๐ ๐ต๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐)
