Akure court remands suspect over serial church, house break-ins

By Boye Oyeyemi

A 36-year-old man, Oluwaseun Olumide, was on Wednesday arraigned before an Akure Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly burgling several homes and churches in different parts of Akure.

The defendant was docked on a 19-count charge bordering on housebreaking, burglary, stealing, malicious damage and escape from lawful custody.

Although Olumide pleaded not guilty to all the charges, the police prosecutor, Taiwo Oniyere, told the court that he committed the alleged offences between March and June 2026 at various locations including Ilere Community, Oke Odu, Ijare Road, Olorunsogo Street, and FUTA South Gate.

Oniyere alleged that the defendant unlawfully broke into residential buildings and places of worship and made away with valuables worth several millions of naira, including generators, televisions, home theatre systems, gas cylinders, keyboards, amplifiers, industrial mixers, roofing materials and other household items.

According to the prosecutor, some of the affected worship centres were the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mount Bethel Prayer Ministry and God Grace and Glory Parish, where musical instruments, public address systems and other church property were allegedly stolen.

“The defendant also escaped from lawful custody after his arrest. The offences are contrary to the relevant provisions of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State, 2006,” the prosecutor told the court, adding that the prosecution would call 13 witnesses during the trial.

In his defence,T. Owoeye, prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail on liberal terms, assuring the court that he would not evade trial if granted bail.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate F. O. Odenusi ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application and adjourned the case until August 4, 2026, for the commencement of trial and consideration of the bail request.