Cook In Custody Over Theft Of Employer’s N50M Jewelry
By Felix Kuyinu
One 45-year-old Raphael Sunday has been held in custody following an accusations against him of stealing his sibling’s jewelry worth N50 million.
Sunday was arraigned at the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a two-count-charge bordering on theft after he was arrested by officers of the Officers of the Zone 2 Police Command who claimed that the accused committed the crime between April 18 and 25, 2025, at Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, where he worked as a cook for his employer, Kikolomo Mesubi.
The prosecution stated that the complainant had gone abroad, leaving Sunday at her home in trust. However, during Mesubi’s absence, he allegedly used a spare key to enter her room and stole the item.
It was further alleged that further alleged that the suspect took the stolen items to the Ikotun area of Lagos, where he reportedly sold them for N2 million before fleeing to Benin Republic where he hails from.
The theft was discovered when the complainant returned from her trip to find her room ransacked, the jewelry missing, and the cook nowhere to be found, with his phone also unreachable.
After a report was made to the police, a directive was issued to locate the suspect fee which he was tracked at a hideout in the Badagry area of Lagos.
The prosecutor, Duru Adekunle, informed the court that the alleged crimes violated Sections 287(7) and 328(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Sunday, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges after which his counsel, Augustine Okeh, requested the court to grant him bail on reasonable terms, arguing that the defendant had worked for his employer for 10 years without any complaints prior to this allegation and would not flee if released.
The court granted him bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties of the same sum. It also ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending when he will fulfil the bail terms.
The case was adjourned till April 29.
