4 Men Docked Over Alleged Theft of N15. 8m

4 Men Docked Over Alleged Theft of N15. 8m 

Four men were on Thursday arraigned before Yaba Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos, by the men of Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, on charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing the sum of N15, 841, 862 million, belonging to a Petroleum Company.

The four men are; Adenola Emmanuel Abiodun, Adebesin Akeem Afolabi, Oyetayo Abiodun and Bamidele Gabriel.

The four men were brought before the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo on charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

They were alleged to have committed the offences between December 1 and 17 2019. 
Arraigning th four defendants before the court, the prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, told the court that the defendants while working with T. Time Petroleum Services Limited, situated at  2nd Rainbow bus-stop, Oshodi Apapa Expressway, Lagos, conspired among themselves and steal the total sum of  N7,970,986 million.

The prosecutor also informed the court that the defendants, during their interrogation, admitted and confessed commiting the alleged acts. The development he said made the police to charge them to court.

He told the court that the offences are contrary to and punishable under Sections 411 and 287(8) of the Criminal Law, Cap. C17, Vol.3, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015. 

All the defendants denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Upon their not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked for trial date, while also asked the court to remand the defendants till the determination of the charges against them.

But their counsel, S. A. Adewale, urged the court to admit bail to his clients in the most liberal terms, saying that they remain innocent of the charges against them until contrary is proven and that the charges against them are bailable ones.

Ruling on the bail application, Chief Magistrate Adedayo, admitted bail to each of the defendants in the sum of N1 million with two responsible sureties in like sum. 

She also ordered that the sureties must show evidence of three years tax payment to the State government and have their addresses and means of livelihood verified by the court.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, while adjourned the matter till May 24, for mention, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending the perfection of the bail terms.

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