The police on Thursday arraigned three men, Akomolafe Temidayo (30), Lawal Abdullahi (35) and Gbolahan Damilola (29), before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged shop breaking and stealing.

The defendants, of unknown addresses, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, shop breaking, stealing and receiving stolen property.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.

The prosecutor, ASP Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence sometime in January 2026 at about 10 p.m in Ado-Ekiti.

Mr Oriyomi alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to commit felony.

He said that the first defendant, Temidayo, and others at large, broke into the shop of the complainant, Bridget Oluwasanmi.

He further explained that they stole one thick wire, valued at N75,000, ceramic socket, 12 bulbs and some tailoring materials, valued at N880,000, totalling N955,000, belonging to the complainant.

The prosecutor also alleged that the second and third defendants (Abdullahi and Damilola), received the stolen items from Temidayo.

According to him, the Offences contravened Section 421, 324(1)(2), 302(1) (a) and 343(2) (a) and (b) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

The prosecutor asked the court for an adjournment to enable him to study the case file and present his witnesses.

The Counsel for the defendants, Olumide Olowolafe, urged the court to grant them bail, with a promise that they would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N100,000 with one surety each in like sum.

Mr Adeosun adjourned the case until June 19 for hearing.

(NAN)