A robber identified as Felix Ayeye has been arraigned before a Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos State.
This was after being arrested while attempting to sell the phone he stole from a bartender, Jones Adewoye, to his wife at their residence in Ajah area of the state.
Adewoye was on his way home when Ayeye and his gang members mugged him at a dark spot.
Appearing as the first prosecution witness, the bartender told Justice Modupe Nico-Clay that the hoodlums led by Ayeye allegedly stabbed him with a dagger and robbed him of his phone and other items worth N78,000 equivalent to GH₵2,567.62
He affirmed that Ayeye, who is facing two counts bordering on conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, was arrested while attempting to sell the stolen phone to Adewoye’s wife.
Adewoye also told the court that Ayeye, who was remanded in prison custody for the crime, had been sending threatening messages to his wife.
He said: “The incident happened in February 2019. I was returning from work around 5.30 am when I alighted from the Uber car and crossed to a dark street at Ajah. My earphones were on and my bag was at my back.
“Suddenly, a torchlight was pointed at my eyes and the defendant broke a bottle on my head, used a dagger to stab my back twice, took all my things and left me on the floor bleeding.
“When I got home, I told my wife to help me get a small phone to contact my company. She was trying to help me buy a small phone when she returned to inform me that someone wants 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 that robbed me but he denied it.
“He said someone gave him the phone to sell. The policeman asked him to get the person who gave him the phone but as the argument was going on, my SIM and memory cards fell from his pocket.”
He added, “His family members pleaded with me and asked how much was the things he stole from me, I said N200,000. The family brought N60,000 but I rejected it. I told them the matter was already with the police and there was nothing I could do.
“But in 2020, the defendant started sending messages to my wife from prison threatening that when he leaves the prison, he would deal with my wife.”
The prosecuting counsel, Titilayo Olanrewaju-Daudu, said the offence committed contravened Sections 299 and 297 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The defendant has already pleaded not guilty to the charge. After listening to the testimony at the resumed hearing, Justice Nico-Clay adjourned the case till November 30, for continuation of trial.
