Ondo Court Orders Detention of Mother, Son in N3.8m Supermarket Theft Case

An Osi Magistrate’s Court in Ondo State has mandated the remand of an 18-year-old student, Sunday Samuel, alongside his mother, Blessing Ode, following allegations of stealing goods and cash estimated at N3.8 million from a supermarket in Iju, Ondo State. The accused individuals are facing a seven-count charge, which includes conspiracy, breaking into a shop, larceny, obstructing an arrest, concealing a felony, and receiving stolen property.

The prosecution detailed that Samuel, collaborating with other accomplices who are currently at large, allegedly conspired to gain unauthorized entry into a supermarket owned by one Obafemi Catherine and absconded with items and money. According to the prosecution, the initial incident took place in 2025 on College Road, Iju, while a subsequent alleged theft occurred around 3 AM on August 27, 2026, at the same supermarket, located opposite Sabo, Iju.

The charge sheet itemized the goods purportedly stolen during these incidents, which encompassed plates, baby products, footwear, apparel, bags, beverages, cosmetics, food items, perfumes, wine, and an Itel Android phone, among others. The prosecution valued the items from the first alleged theft at N1.363 million, with those from the August 27 incident estimated at N2.427 million. The court was also informed that a CCTV camera captured Samuel in the act of allegedly breaking into the supermarket.

Furthermore, counts five to seven of the charge sheet accuse Samuel’s mother, Blessing, of actively trying to impede her son’s arrest, concealing some of the allegedly stolen items, and receiving a portion of the purported stolen property. The prosecution stated that when police officers arrived at Blessing’s residence on September 2, 2026, to apprehend Samuel, she falsely claimed he was not home. The charge sheet further detailed that the door to her room was subsequently forced open, where Samuel was reportedly discovered lying on her bed. Blessing is also alleged to have hidden some of her son’s purportedly stolen items in a bush and received other stolen goods, including an Itel phone, Lisbon drink, CT+ cream, Hummer Code perfume, skin doctor cream, Viva Plus detergent, and Maggi.

During the latest court proceedings, prosecutor Awana Josephine requested an adjournment to thoroughly review the case file and prepare her witnesses. Conversely, Godwin Bernard, the counsel representing the defendants, pleaded with the court to grant his clients bail under the most lenient conditions, assuring their consistent presence throughout the trial. Josephine, however, opposed the bail application, describing the mother as a detrimental influence on her son.

Magistrate Bukola Ojo, in her ruling, ordered that both defendants be held in custody. Blessing Ode is to be remanded at the Ondo Correctional Facility, while her son, Sunday Samuel, will be held at the Olokuta Correctional Centre. The case has been adjourned until September 24, 2026, for further hearing.