Church Guard in Court for Stealing 180 Chairs

A guard, Ese Edet, has been arraigned before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for allegedly stealing 180 pieces of chairs worth N1.4m from a branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the Somolu area of the state.

Our correspondent gathered that Edet was employed by a firm, Bon Douglas Security Company, Itire, Surulere, and was posted to guard the church at Palmgroove, Somolu.

His manager, Monday Oluwareghan, was said to have made a report at the Somolu Police Station after it was discovered that out of the 220 chairs in the church, Edet allegedly stole and sold 180 pieces.

However, the suspect reportedly confessed to selling only five.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Godwin Oriabure, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between January and December 16, 2022, at 20, Ogunaike Street, Palmgroove, Somolu.

He was arraigned on one count of stealing.

The charge read in part, “That you, Ese Edet, between January and December 16, 2022, at No 20, Ogunaike Street, Palmgroove, Somolu, in the Yaba Magisterial District, being a security guard at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Palmgroove, Somolu, did steal 180 chairs from the said church, valued at the sum of N1,440,000, property of RCCG, Palmgroove, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 280(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, A.O. Salawu, admitted him to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned till January 26, 2023, for trial.