NAN-H-61
Stealing
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Nov.10, 2016 (NAN) Two men, Festus Ogbefu, 36, and Chidi Nwafor, 34, were on Thursday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing N1 million belonging to their employer.
The accused are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and stealing.
Ogbefu, a barber, resides in Akute area of Ogun and Nwafor, a trader, lives in Oregun, Lagos.
They were alleged to have forged an invoice under the pretext of obtaining money from the complainant, Fred Ogunlana.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, told the court that the accused committed the offences between March 2015 and September 2015 at No. 1, Alhaji Jimoh St., Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja, Lagos.
Egunjobi said that the accused were employed by the complainant to work as a stylist and manager in his barbing salon.
The accused were asked to be remitting N30, 000 monthly to the complainant who they never did but they converted N300, 000 meant for the rent of the shop to their own personal use.
According to the prosecutor, the duo have earlier connived and forged an invoice with no 0005671 dated Aug. 26 of Stankings Beauty Care shop which they used in obtaining money from the complainant.
“They were arrested and taken to the police station for further questioning,’’ Egunjobi said.
The offences contravened sections 285, 363 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes a three-year imprisonment for stealing.
The court granted the accused N500, 000 bail and two sureties each in like sum.
Chief Magistrate M.O. Osinbajo ruled that the sureties must be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Osinbajo adjourned the case till Nov. 24 for mention. (NAN)
LAW/ORO/MO
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Edited by Razak Owolabi/Morayo Omolade