House maid leads armed gang to rob her employer of N2.8m in Lagos

A 19-year-old lady, Cynthia Ikade, was arraigned before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for allegedly conspiring with a gang to rob her former employer, Esther Okanlawon, of N2.8 million, and other valuables. 

 

Ikade was arraigned on Thursday, January 12, 2023, along with her accomplises, Pius Sunday, 28, and Loveth Uloko, 20.

 

Ikade, who worked as a maid for Okanlawon at her house in Mushin area of the state, was said to have suddenly stated that she was no longer interested in the job.

 

Her employer called the agent through whom she was employed, to come take her, but the agent could not be reached on the phone.

 

The teenager then requested that she wanted Sunday, who she claimed was her brother, to pick her from the house.

 

Sunday, while leaving the house with Ikade, then urged the woman to call him anytime she needed another maid to replace Ikade, saying he was also an agent.

 

It was gathered that Okanlawon called him after three months to bring in another maid, and he sent Uloko.

 

Sunday and Ikade, alongside one Henry, still at large, allegedly invaded the woman’s house on October 10, 2022, and robbed the family, with the help of Uloko, who allegedly opened the gate and kitchen back door for them.

 

The defendants were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful conversion. 

 

The charges read in part, “That you, Pius Sunday, Ikade Cynthia, Loveth Uloko, and one other at large, on or before October 10, 2022, at on Isiaka Nade Street, Mushin, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, while in the service of the victim, as an agent to housemaids, did intentionally arm yourselves with a locally-made gun and a knife and robbed Mrs Esther Okanlawon and her two visitors of the sum of 2,150,000, a wedding ring valued at N300,000, 500 pounds, 170 US dollars, 100 Canadian dollars, a handbag valued at 15 pounds and other valuables, all property of Esther Okanlawon and her family, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015."

 

The plea of the defendants was not taken.

 

The prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, pleaded that the three defendants be remanded in a custodial centre for 30 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

 

The presiding Chief Magistrate, A. O. Salawu, adjourned the case till February 9, 2023, for legal advice.