Man docked for allegedly breaking into church

The police in Lagos on Friday arraigned a man, Ajibola Faniyi, before an Ogba chief magistrate court for breaking into a Catholic church on Folarin Street, Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos, and stealing cartons of wine used for Holy Mass.

The police said that Faniyi, 27, was arrested by a team of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer, Olosan Division, Lagos State Command, after a report got to the station that he had damaged a window, consumed some bottles of wine and defecated on the floor. It was also gathered that the suspect escaped with some cartons of wine and other church items worth N49,999.

The prosecutor, Mr A. Koti, said the incident happened at the church parish located at Folarin Street in Ilasamaja area of Mushin, Lagos.

Koti said Faniyi committed the offences on September 24, 2019 and escaped from the church but was later arrested by the police.

The prosecutor said the accused person confessed during interrogation that he only ate the holy bread and wine he found inside the church tabernacle. Faniyi pleaded not guilty.

Koti asked the court to give a date for hearing, since the defendant pleaded not guilty, to enable the police prove its case against him.

The magistrate, Mrs M. I. Tanimola, granted Faniyi bail in the sum of N100,000, with two sureties in like sum.

Tanimola remanded the accused person in prison custody, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions and adjourned the case till October 21, 2019.