The police on Friday arraigned two mortuary attendants in an Evboriaria Chief Magistrates’ Court in Benin, Edo, for stealing jewelries in the casket of a deceased woman.
The accused persons, Osaro Benjamin, 50, and Idowu Eriemator, 26, of no fixed address, were employed at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin.
The prosecutor, ASP Emmanuel Obakpolor, told the court that the two men conspired and committed the offence on May 12 at the morgue of the hospital, located along Country Home Road, off Sapele Road.
Obakpolor said the accused persons stole from the casket of late Mrs. Esther Akora, which was deposited at the hospital morgue.
He listed the stolen jewelries as gold ear-rings, gold necklace and gold wedding ring, all valued at N4 million.
He said the offences of conspiracy and stealing contravened the provisions of sections 516 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code.
If convicted, the accused persons are liable to two years and three years jail terms respectively.
However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Frank Idiake, granted bail to the two accused persons in the sum of N500, 000 each with a surety each in like sum.
Idiake ordered that the sureties must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction and adjourned the case until June 2. (NAN)
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