Sales representative charged for N6.6m theft

Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate Court

A 37-year-old sales representative, Ayodele Ogun, has been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court for the alleged theft of N6, 600,000.

Ogun, an indigene of Kaba, Kogi State was said to have committed the crime between January and April, 2013.

The defendant was said to have sold bags of rice on behalf of Olam Nigeria Limited, without remitting the proceeds to the company’s account.

It was learnt that the defendant had been transferred to Ilorin from the company’s Lagos office, after which the company decided to audit its account.

The fraud was said to have been detected and when Ogun was summoned and challenged, he did not deny the allegation.

He was, however, said to have denied taking N6.6m but N5m.

It was said that the defendant, after he was arrested by the Lagos Area C Police Commandm, promised to pay back in installments of N300,000.

He was allegedly released on bail.

His surety later reportedly renounced him, leading to his subsequent re-arrest and arraignment on one count of stealing.

The charge read, “That you, Ayodele Ogun, between January and April 2013 at Olam Nigeria Ltd, 5 & 6 Abebe Road, Iganmu Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal the sum of six million six hundred thousand naira (N6,600,000.00) property of Olam Nigeria Ltd.”

The prosecutor, Corporal Cyriacus Osuji said the offence was punishable under Section 285(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

Ogun pleaded not guilty tothe charge and opted for a summary trial.

The defence counsel pleaded that the defendant be admitted on bail in liberal terms.

The magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola, who stood in for the presiding magistrate, Mr Badejo Okusanya, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N1m.

She said, “The defendant is granted bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be gainfully employed, not self employed, show evidence of tax clearance, with affidavit of means. One of the sureties must also be a blood relation of the defendant.”

The matter was adjourned till October 23.