Man imprisoned for ‘stealing’ from Mosque

A magistrate court in Ikeja, Lagos, has sent one Jubril Aja to Kirikiri Prison after he confessed to stealing water tap heads belonging to Allahu Walidu Central Mosque in the Agege area of the state.

George Nwosu, the prosecutor, told the court that the suspect committed the offence on September 11 at Sunday Farm Estate, Agege.

The police officer said the accused stole water tap heads valued N10,000.

He explained that the accused confessed that he repeatedl stole tap heads from the mosque whenever they were replaced.

“The accused came into the mosque with the pretext to pray,” Nwosu said.

“He sat at the water side pretending to do ablution and removed two installed tap heads, packaged them inside his bag and took to his heels.

“When a worshipper got to the tap to wash before entering the mosque for prayer, he discovered that the tap heads had been removed again and he raised alarm.

“The accused was given a hot chase and apprehended. When he was searched, those stolen items were recovered.

“The accused made a confession that he was responsible for the theft of all the missing tap heads, and that he has a customer he used to sell them to at a cheaper price.”

Nwosu said the offence contravened section 285 of the criminal law of Lagos state, 2011.

After hearing the prosecutor, A.A. Adesanya, the magistrate, remanded Aja, 28, in prison.

He adjourned the case to September 21 for facts and sentencing.

If convicted, the accused is liable to three years imprisonment.