NAN-H-18
Equipment
By Deborah Akpede
Lagos, Dec. 8, 2017(NAN) Two sales representatives on Friday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court over alleged theft of N9.6million medical equipment from their employer.
The police arraigned George Ekil, 22, and Kelechi Ezeobi, 25, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
They respectively reside at Agege and Apapa, both in Lagos.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate O.J. Awope, who granted them bail in the sum of N1million with two sureties each.
Awope ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
According to the prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the accused conspired to steal the equipment from the Equator Medics International, from July to October at Ogba, Lagos.
“The accused, who were employed to manage one of the company’s outlets, sold goods kept in their custody and converted N9.6 million for their use,” he said.
Ayorinde said that a recent audit by the company revealed the theft.
“The company conducted an audit and discovered that N9.6 million goods supplied to the accused from the company’s warehouse in Ogba are missing in the store.
“They could not give satisfactory information on what happened to the stock in their custody,” the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor noted that the offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accused may be jailed for three years if found guilty of stealing, according to the provisions of Section 287.
The case will be mentioned on Jan.10. (NAN)
DOA/MO/IGO
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Edited by Omolade MM/Ijeoma Popoola