An Osi Magistrate’s Court in Ondo State has ordered the remand of an 18-year-old student, Sunday Samuel, and his mother, Blessing Ode, over alleged theft of goods and cash worth about N3.8 million from a supermarket in Iju.
The defendants were arraigned on seven counts bordering on conspiracy, breaking into a shop, stealing, obstruction of arrest, concealing a felony and receiving stolen property.
The prosecution alleged that Samuel and others still at large conspired to break into a supermarket owned by Obafemi Catherine and steal goods and cash.
According to the prosecution, the first incident occurred in 2025 along College Road, Iju, while another alleged theft took place around 3am on August 27, 2026, at the supermarket opposite Sabo, Iju.
Items allegedly stolen included plates, baby products, shoes, clothes, bags, drinks, cosmetics, food items, perfumes, wine and an Itel Android phone, among others.
The prosecution valued the items allegedly stolen during the first incident at N1.363 million, while those allegedly taken during the August 27 incident were valued at N2.427 million.
The court was also told that Samuel was allegedly captured on CCTV breaking into the supermarket.
In counts five to seven, the prosecution accused his mother, Blessing, of attempting to prevent her son’s arrest, concealing some of the alleged stolen items and receiving stolen property.
The prosecution alleged that when police officers went to arrest Samuel at his mother’s residence on September 2, 2026, Blessing claimed he was not at home. However, the officers allegedly forced open the door to her room and found Samuel lying on her bed.
The prosecution further alleged that Blessing hid some of the stolen items in a bush and received other items allegedly stolen by her son, including an Itel phone, Lisbon drink, CT+ cream, Hummer Code perfume, Skin Doctor cream, Viva Plus detergent and Maggi, among others.
During the proceedings, the prosecutor, Awana Josephine, asked the court to adjourn the matter to enable her to study the case file and prepare her witnesses.
Defence counsel, Godwin Bernard, however, urged the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms, assuring that they would remain available throughout the trial.
The prosecution opposed the bail application and urged the court to remand the defendants in custody, describing the mother as a bad influence on her son.
In her ruling, Magistrate Bukola Ojo ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody.
Blessing was remanded at the Ondo Correctional Facility, while Samuel was remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre.
The case was adjourned until September 24, 2026, for hearing.
