A 46-year-old man, Abraham Dominic, has been arrested and charged before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court in Lagos State for allegedly breaking into a trader’s shop to steal dozens of luxury items worth N3.5m.The defendant is facing a two-count criminal charge bordering on burglary and stealing under the criminal law of the State.
According to the Police charge sheet, the incident occurred in the early hours of June 23, 2026, at approximately 4:00 AM. The crime was reportedly committed at No. 1, Femi Akinsho Close, Baruwa, within the Ipaja area of the Lagos Magisterial District.
The prosecution alleged that Dominic systematically broke and entered into a shop belonging to a businesswoman identified as Ayinde Busayo. Security reports indicated that the defendant accessed the locked commercial facility under the cover of dawn with the intent to commit a felony.
Once inside the premises, the suspect allegedly targeted high-end merchandise stored in the retail outlet. He reportedly carted away 49 pieces of authentic designer Dior women’s handbags, completely clearing out a significant portion of the shop’s premium inventory.
The Police valued the 49 stolen luxury handbags at a total sum of Three Million, Five Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N3,514,500). The targeted inventory represented the direct commercial property of the complainant, Ayinde Busayo.
Following a rapid response by law enforcement, operatives arrested the suspect and transferred him to the Ipaja Divisional Police Headquarters for interrogation. The field investigation was coordinated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Ipaja, SP Endurance Ovwigho.
Corporal Samuel Imoleayo was assigned as the Lead Investigating Police Officer (IPO) to manage the case file and gather vital evidence. The Police team thoroughly documented the crime scene and compiled itemized valuations of the missing luxury merchandise before drafting formal charges.
During the formal arraignment, the prosecution team led by Prosecutor Simon Njue presented the official charge sheet before the presiding Magistrate, Miss Ogunkorode. In Count I, the prosecution stated that Dominic’s forced entry into the shop violated Section 309(1) and is punishable under Section 309(2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
In Count II, the prosecution focused strictly on the theft of the high-value retail goods from the shop. The charge sheet noted that the act of stealing the N3.5 million worth of Dior bags is a direct offence punishable under Section 287 of the same state laws.
When the two counts were read aloud in the courtroom, the 46-year-old defendant firmly pleaded not guilty to all the allegations leveled against him.
Following the not-guility plea, the Police prosecutor, ASP Simeon Njue, requested a formal trial date to enable the state to produce witnesses and prove its case.
The Presiding Magistrate, Miss F.R. Ogunkorode, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N850,000 with two sureties in like sum. The court ordered that the sureties must provide verifiable evidence of their means of livelihood, residential addresses, and up-to-date tax payments to the state government.
The matter was subsequently adjourned until July 21, 2026, for the commencement of the full trial and the presentation of initial evidence. The defendant will remain in custody until his legal team fulfills the specific bail conditions set by the magistrate.
