Lekki female cleaner accused of stealing N350k iPhone sent to Kirikiri prison

A 25-year-old woman, Precious Gambo accused of stealing N350,000 iPhone belonging to her employer has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court.

The Police at the Maroko Division, Lekki, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria have arrested Gambo, accused of committing the act a month after she was employed and fled.

The cleaner was accused of aiding a fire outbreak at her employer’s SPA Clinic by refusing to switch off the Sauna switch after closing hours which led to a fire outbreak destroying equipment at the SPA.

According to the police, trouble started for the cleaner when her employer, Miss Bimbo Ige reported to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Maroko Division, Lekki that she suspected her one-month-old cleaner to have stolen her iPhone valued at N350,000 and escaped.

Following the report, the DPO was said to have swiftly deployed his crack team led by Inspector Austin Adefemi to go all out and arrest the fleeing cleaner and recover the phone from her.

The Police team tracked the cleaner to her friend’s house in Lekki and arrested her with the phone which she had already replaced with another Sim Card.

Gambo, from Plateau State, was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause the breach of peace and stealing.

Police Counsel, Reuben Solomon told the court that the defendant committed the offence between March and 8 April, 2023 at her employer’s SPA Clinic located at 14 Mayaki Usman Street, Lekki Phase I, Lagos.

Solomon informed the court that the defendant aided a fire outbreak at her employer’s SPA Clinic by refusing to switch off the Sauna after closing hours which led to a fire outbreak at the Clinic destroying equipment.

Solomon also told the court that the defendant stole her employer’s iPhone 7 Plus and escaped to replace the Sim card before she was tracked and arrested.

He said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 168(d) and 287(7) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Magistrate, Amore granted her N1m bail with two sureties in like sum.

Amore adjourned the case till 16 May, 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Kirikiri female correctional facility, Apapa, Lagos till she perfected the bail conditions.