The police in Lagos on Thursday arraigned eighty-three men who allegedly raided, destroyed and looted the Sangotedo and Surulere shopping malls of the popular African retailer, Shoprite.
Jude Atuamya, Kazeem Kamiru, Reuben Johnson, Mohammed Abdulwaheb and seventy-nine others were brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court on charges bordering on stealing, damage and conspiracy.
They all pleaded not guilty to the six count charges.
For Prosecution, Cyril Ejiofor and others said that the defendants had committed the offences on Sept. 3, at Shoprite Surulere and Sangotedo-Ajah, both located in Lagos.
The prosecutor said that the defendants had conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace by wilfully setting fire to the malls and damaging property worth N500 million.
The defendants were also involved in riotous acts, looting spree and harming passersby.
The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 50, 287, 339, 341 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos state, 2015.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr P. A. Ojo, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties each in like sum who must be their parents.
In the case where by their parents are deceased the surety must be a family member from their paternal side.
He thereafter adjourned the case until Oct. 9.
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