Security guard ignores car thieves because ‘he was praying’

The Nigerian Police has charged a security guard identified as Mohammed Usman with theft for allegedly conniving with some other suspects to steal a car belonging to his boss.

The suspect who pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him was arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on two counts of conspiracy and stealing.

He said in court, that he heard the car thieves, but he did not respond because he was having his prayers, as he had been fasting the whole day.

While in court, the charges against Usman read thus, “That you, Mohammed Usman, and others at large, on September 10, 2018, around 4am at Alausa, Ikeja, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony, to wit; stealing, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

“That you, Mohammed Usman, and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial district, did steal a Toyota Corolla Saloon car, gold colour, with number plate, CJ 593 FKJ, valued at N1.6m, property of Fatiu Badmus and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.”

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After listening to the charges of the suspect read out by the prosecutor, the magistrate W.A. Salami granted Usman bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum and also adjourned the case till October 3, 2018, for further hearing.

In his statement to the police, Fatia Badmus (Usman’s boss) said he had parked his Toyota Corolla, valued at N1.6m to his office that morning and still sighted it around 8.40pm when he went out to see a movie.

“I returned to my office at 11pm to continue the assignment I planned to deliver to my clients the next day. I saw the car in front of the office when I returned and I confirmed that the doors were locked.

“The next morning, my subordinate, who was sent on an errand, came in and asked me if I sent someone on an errand with my car and I said no. He later told me that my car was not where I parked it again.

“I put my hand inside my pocket and my car key was there. I went outside to check where I parked the car, but it was not there. I quickly called the security guard to ask him about the vehicle only for him to tell me that he saw two guys going away with it and he did not confront them,” he added.

Usman however denied being involved in the theft claiming he was praying when he heard noise outside the premises.

He said, “I was fasting on the day of the incident, so I went in to pray. While I was praying, I heard the noise of some people outside. Because I was praying, I could not come out. It was around 5am when I was asked about the car that I noticed that it was not where it was parked.”

 

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