A 19-year-old housemaid, Temitope Akapo, has been arrested by the police for allegedly stealing her mistress’ jewellery valued at $100,000 (N30m).
PUNCH Metro gathered that Akapo was employed by her boss, Modupe Dada, in February 2018.
The Beninoise allegedly broke into her boss’ room while Dada was away and stole her jewellery.
She reportedly stole the jewellery after meeting some fraudsters.
Akapo, in her statement to the police, said the fraudsters fled after collecting the valuables from her.
She said, “In February 2018, I was introduced to my boss by one Benjamin. I was paid N12,000 per month. On July 10, 2018, my madam sent me to her daughter’s school. On my way back, one man, who called himself a foreigner, stopped me and asked for my help, but I refused. Another man, who was passing by, named Ifeanyi, convinced me that we should help the foreigner.
“Ifeanyi and I entered the man’s car and he drove us towards Agege Motor Road. He stopped and gave one envelope to Ifeanyi. He Instructed Ifeanyi to rub the envelope on his face and the white substance inside the envelope turned to money. Ifeanyi then gave me the money.
“The foreigner later told us that the money was poisonous and it had affected us spiritually. He told me and Ifeanyi that to be free from the spell, we needed something wrapped with rubber band, which he said may be money or gold. Then he asked me to call him anytime I lay hands on any of the items. The man gave me and Ifeanyi water to drink and warned me not to tell anybody otherwise I will die.
“On Friday, July 13, 2018, when my madam went out, I opened her room and removed all her gold jewellery and I took it to the man at Haruna bus stop. He collected the goods and also took my phone and left.”
In her statement to the police, Akapo’s boss said the maid had initially denied stealing the jewellery, but later confessed to the crime.
She said, “When I noticed that my wardrobe had been broken into, I called the two home helps to ask if any of them entered my room and they both denied it. After about one hour, one of them said she saw Akapo with a big bag. Three hours later, Akapo confessed to the crime.”
Akapo was arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court on charges of conspiracy and stealing.
The police prosecutor, Inspector John Christopher, said the offences contravened sections 411 and 287(f) (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
The charges read in part, “That you, Temitope Akapo, and others now at large, on July 13, 2018, around 12pm, on Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal gold jewellery valued at $100,000, equivalent to N30m, property of one Modupe Dada.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The presiding magistrate, P.E. Nwaka, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
The case was adjourned till September 25, 2018. (Punch)
