Hunger Drove Me Into Stealing, 27yrOld Man Tells Court

A 27-year old theft suspect, Marvellous Moris, has allegedly confessed in
court that hunger drove him into stealing a handset in a cosmetic store.
The suspect protested Monday at a Lagos court for being charged to
court after the police had recovered the stolen item from him.
He said he was not a big-time thief and the police should not have
charged him to court because they have recovered the phone from him,
adding that he only stole it to sell and buy foodto eat.
Morris blamed the police for his predicament, confessing that he had to
steal in order to make ends meet.
He said nobody, including the police, bothered to ask him whether he had
eaten the day he stole.
"I did not eat a day before I stole and there wasno hope of eating that
day. So I tried to find a way to survive," he said.
Morris said he pleaded with the police to release him because he was
not a big-time thief but they went ahead to charge him to court.
"Everybody is interested in calling me a thief and nobody knows what led
me to stealing," he lamented.
The Edo-State born suspect explained that he isfrom a poor family and
he had looked for job but did not find any, so he had to steal to survive.
Morris was arrested at 2, Temidara Street LIasuRoad , Egbe Idimu, Idimu,
Lagos where he allegedly stole a Samsung hand set worth N18,000
belonging to James Nwanuji, under false pretense that he wanted to buy
some items in the cosmetic store. He was caught later when he allegedly
went to sell it.
Morris was handed over to the police at Idimu Division for theft and the
handset was tendered as exhibit.
When asked whether he went to the shops to buy items, he said he went
there only to steal.
Morris is now facing one-count charge of stealing before the court
where he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The presiding Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka, granted him bail in the sum of
N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
He was remanded in prison custody because hedid not meet his bail
condition.
The matter was adjourned till 13 November for mention.
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