A 24-year-old commercial tricycle rider, Confidence Ikpe, was yesterday arraigned before the Igbosere chief magistrate court over the theft of a tricycle valued at N860, 000.

Ikpe pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. If found guilty, he risks a three-year jail term.

The police alleged the accused conspired with some other persons at large to steal the tricycle on December 24, 2018.

Ikpe was said to have been given the tricycle to use for transportation business by the owner, Ahmed Salami, and render a daily account of an agreed amount.

Part of the agreement was also that the accused would park the tricycle at a designated place (the owners house). But rather than park at the designated place, Ikpe decided to park it at his own residential apartment, where it was eventually stolen five days after Salami handed the new tricycle over to him.

Police prosecutor, Kingsley Jackson, alleged that Ikpe conspired to steal one TVS tricycle registration AGL 228 QJ, property of Ahmed Salami of No. 14, Adesanya Street, Ilupeju Estate, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Chief magistrate, F. O. Onamusi, admitted the suspect to N300,000 bail, with two sureties in like sum, and fixed further hearing for January 22, 2019.