The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 28-year-old housemaid, Anna Payaro, for allegedly leading a gang to burgle her boss’ apartment at Goshen Estate, Lekki, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.
The suspect and her fleeing accomplices were said to have carted away a cash sum of N300,000; $1,000 (about N199,000); £500 (about N145,000) and some other valuables worth N2.5m
The crime was allegedly committed on May 27, at about 3pm when the boss, Olatunde Adepeju, was outside the country.
It was gathered that one of Adepoju’s neighbours alerted him to the incident on the telephone.
The matter was reported to the police at the Maroko division, which reportedly went after the suspects, leading to Payaro’s arrest, while others were still at large.
A police prosecutor, Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji, arraigned Payaro in an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on Monday on three counts of burglary and stealing.
Osuji told the court that the offences were punishable under sections 285, 305 (a) (b) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The charges read in part, “That you, Anna Payaro, and others now at large on May 27, 2016, at about 3pm at Goshen Estate, Lekki, in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area, within the Lagos Magisterial District, did break and enter the house of one Olatunde Adepoju, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 305 (a) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
“That you and others now at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal N300,000; $1,000; £500 and property valued at about N2.5m, property of one Olatunde Adepoju, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 285 (10) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges before the presiding magistrate, Mrs. A.T. Omoyele, who admitted her to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Omoyele added that the sureties must present their residential addresses and evidence of tax paid to the state government to the prosecutor for verification and adjourned the case till July 4, 2016.