Landlord arraigned for removing tenant's roofing sheet

Abolaji Ismahil, a 51-year-old landlord, was docked before a Surulere Chief Magistrates' Court in Lagos on Tuesday. It is alleged that he removed the roofing sheets from his tenant's flat.

Ismahil, a resident of Lagos' Mushin neighbourhood, entered a not guilty plea to charges of stealing, conspiracy, and disturbance of public peace. Ismahil and a few other people who are still at large committed the crime on December 13, 2023, at No. 40, Kekereowo St., Itire, Surulere, Lagos, according to the prosecution's attorney, Inspector Courage Ekhueorohan.

He said that Ismahil took ten zinc roofing sheets out of Lawal Ismail, the complainant's flat.

In addition, Ekhueorohan claimed that after multiple attempts to persuade the complainant to pay his rent, Ismahil destroyed the roofing material.

He argued that the complainant had also mentioned that two wristwatches, a gold chain and his HP laptops had all been taken from his flat.

According to him, the offence was against sections 168, 287, and 411 of the Lagos State 2015 Criminal Laws.

Ismahil was granted N100,000 bail by the magistrate, Mr. Ganiyu Tiamiyu, along with two responsible sureties in the same amount.

He postponed the case to March 13 in order to allow the sureties to have their addresses confirmed by the court. 

Source