NAN-H-3
Stealing
By Deborah Akpede
Lagos, May 3, 2017(NAN) A 21-year-old student, Kolawole Owolabi, who allegedly stole N100,000 was on Wednesday in Lagos released on a N100,000 bail.
Owolabi, who entered a `not-guilty’ plea to the theft charge, is a resident of Victoria Street, Akowonjo, Lagos State.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court which gave the ruling, also asked the accused to produce two sureties as part of the bail condition.
The Magistrate, Mrs O.I Raji, said that one of the sureties must be a blood relation, gainfully employed with evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
According to the prosecutor, the accused committed the offence on April 13 at First bank, Ipaja, Lagos.
He said that the accused fraudulently collected N100,000 from one David Nwojiji, pretending to assist him deposit the money.
“The accused, pretending to be a staff, approached the complainant while he was filling the teller to join the long queue.
“He told him to bring his money that he will help him to deposit it at the upper part of the same bank to make it fast.
“The complainant seeing the long queue gave the accused the money.
“The accused went upstairs but refused to come down, the complainant raised alarm after some minutes.
“With the help of security men who searched the bank thoroughly, he saw the accused where he was hiding at the upstairs of the bank and was apprehended.
“The money was recovered from him,” he said.
The offences contravened sections 287 and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section 314 prescribes 15 years jail term for obtaining money under false pretence.
The magistrate adjourned the case until May 15, for mention.(NAN)
DOA/BOLA/MZA
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Edited by Bola Akingbehin and Maharazu Ahmed