A shopping center in Ibadan, Oyo state, has allegedly taken legal action against two of its employees for pilfering two loaves of bread valued at ₦2,600.
PurpleWorld gathered that the Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s Court heard the case, with the employees standing accused of shoplifting the bread from the Ringroad branch of the FoodCo mall. The alleged petty theft has sparked debate over the degree of the response and whether it was proportionate to the crime.
Both the security guard Ebenezer Olusesi, 31, and the baker Ibrahim Adeniyi, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charges of stealing the loaves of bread valued at ₦2,600 from the FoodCo mall in Ibadan, Oyo state.
Presenting the prosecution’s case before the Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s Court, Cpl. David Adepoju alleged that the two employees, Ebenezer Olusesi and Ibrahim Adeniyi, had colluded in the theft of the loaves of bread. Adepoju maintained that the defendants had conspired to steal the grocery items, which were valued at ₦2,600.
In response to the charges, Chief Magistrate Mrs. Ogunkanmi set bail at ₦50,000 for each of the defendants, with two sureties required for their release pending the conclusion of the trial.
In setting the bail conditions, Chief Magistrate Ogunkanmi stipulated that one of the two sureties for each defendant must present evidence of payment of taxes for at least two years, while the other surety must be a close relative of the accused. This ensured that the defendants would have adequate support and supervision while awaiting their trial.
With the bail conditions agreed upon, the case was adjourned until August 15 for a formal hearing in court.