₦airaland Forum

Yoruba actress, Yetunde Akilapa has been arrested for burglary the seventh time.

Ms Akilapa came into the film industry in 2013 and acted in a Yoruba film, “Ileri-Oluwa’’, which shot her to the limelight.

She has been featured in other Yoruba movies. The actress was earlier reported to be in the news for stealing and breaking into people’s homes years ago and was once on the police wanted list.

The actress, notorious for breaking into houses and stores to steal, was arrested Thursday after the homeowner caught her in the act.

A Twitter user, @LotsofKory said that she entered her house and found a woman inside, stealing her valuables.

“That was how I entered my house today o, and I found a woman inside my house. She had packed my wigs and all my gold. I (she) was about to start checking my bags when I entered.

“Thank God my neighbour was coming behind me; I’m pretty sure she’d have attacked me.”

She further said that a pair of her gold earrings had been taken to the police station.

Before that, in February 2013, it was reported that police arrested the actress in Alade, Somolu area of Lagos, on charges of robbery.

She was sent to the Kirikiri correctional facility. In November 2013, she regained freedom.

Serial offender

It is not the first time Ms Akilapa has been arrested for burglary.

In 2018, she was arrested for trying to gain unlawful access to a house in Magodo Shangisha, Lagos.

A video of her being apprehended made the rounds on social media.

In June 2018, she was brought before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court and charged with break-in and stealing valuables worth N7 million from a home.

The 37-year-old actress was tried on a three-count charge bordering on burglary and stealing, to which she pleaded not guilty.

Police Prosecutor Benson Emuerhi told the court that the accused committed the offences on 27 June at No. 14/16, Mutairu St., Shangisha, Ketu, a suburb of Lagos, at 2.10 p.m.

According to him, the accused was apprehended while trying to enter the apartment of the complainant, Adeboye Lamidi.

Mr Lamidi alleged that he was in his sitting room when he noticed someone was trying to open the door to his apartment with a key from outside.

Ms Akilapa used a different key to unlock the door of the complainant’s house but was caught in the act, he said.

“l peeped through the door hole, and l saw the accused trying to open my door with a key.”

The prosecutor also alleged that the accused, on 16 November 2015 at 3.00 p.m., broke into the residence of Oyinlola Tuga by unlocking the door with a master key.

Tuga, who lives at No. 39A, Ayodele Okeowo St., Gbagada Soluyi in Lagos, reported that the accused stole jewellery, bags and other valuables worth N7 million.

“Tuga alleged that after raising the alarm that his house had been burgled, his neighbours told him that they saw the accused parked her car with registration no. MUS 689 CZ in front of the complainant’s house.

“They challenged her and found the stolen items and a hundred bunch of keys on her.

“The accused was apprehended and handed over to the police at Ifako police station,” he said.

More offences

The actress was in the news in February 2013 when it was reported that she was arrested for robbery by the police in Alade, Somolu area of Lagos.

She was sent to the Kirikiri Prison, and after a few months, she regained her freedom in November 2013.

On 12 January 2014, she was again caught trying to steal with a bunch of master keys hidden in her brassiere at a house in Magodo Phase 2.

The offences contravene Sections 287, 307 and 308 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 307 prescribes seven years for burglary.

The Magistrate, Olufunke Sule-Amzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with two responsible sureties.

Mrs Sule-Amzat said the sureties must be gainfully employed with evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.