Police Arraign Egba High Chief, Others For Stealing, Malicious Damage

By Kemisola Abdul-Azeez, Abeokuta

An Egba High Chief, Kehinde Sofenwa and two others were arraigned at an Isabo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday for allegedly stealing roofing sheet and planks.

They were alleged to have stolen roofing sheet and planks worth Two Million and Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N2,500,000) property of Waheed Balogun family and kept the same in their personal house.

Also arraigned alongside Chief Kehinde Sofenwa, who is the Baatun of Egbaland is one Seyi Onifade and others at large.

According to the Police Prosecutor, CSP Rawlings O, the accused Seyi Onifade Male 50, Years, Kehinde Sofenwa, Male 57 Years, and others at large, were in a suit no MA/599C/23, sometimes in the month of October. 2023 at about 10:30 in the morning at Oke-Itoku area of Abeokuta in the Abeokuta Magisterial District did willingly and maliciously damaged the family property of Waheed Balogun by removing the
roofing sheet and planks of their house without their consent.

The Police also said the two accused “did steal roofing sheet and planks worth Two Million and Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N2,500,000) property of Waheed Balogun family and kept the same in their personal house, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 383 of the Criminal Code Vol. II Reviewed Law of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you Seyi Onifade M’ and Kehinde Sofenwa M’ and others at large on the same date, time and place in the aforémentioned Magisterial District did conspired together to commit felony and offence contrary to and punishable under section 516 Reviewed Law of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.

“That you Seyi Onifade M’ and Kehinde Sofenwa ‘M’ and others at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by deliberately demolished the house of Waheed Balogun family and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 249(d) of the
Criminal Code Vol. II Reviewed Law of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 451 of the
Criminal Code Vol. II Reviewed Law of Ogun State of Nigeria 2006.

However, Kehinde Sofenwa and Seyi Onifade pleaded not guilty to the four counts and Counsel to the accused, Barrister Augustine Ihugba, pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail, assuring that they would not jump bail.

Ruling on the bail application, Chief Magistrate E.O Idowu granted the two accused a bail of Three million naira with two sureties and Landed Property with evidence of three year tax payment.