Two Salesladies Docked Over Alleged Stealing Of Church‘s N13m
Men of Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) Ikoyi, Lagos, have arraigned two Salesladies, Success Ibilibor and Chinonso Iheukwumere before an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, on charges bordering on Conspiracy, fraudulent false accounting and stealing of the sum of N13 million, belonging to a church.
The two defendants, who are the church’s sales supervisor and sales representative, respectively, were alleged to have commited the offence between 2019 and 2020.
They were accused of selling several spiritual materials of the church and diverted the money into their purses and used it for their personal gain.
The two Salesladies were also accused of altering or falsifying various money related entries in Point of Sale (P.O.S) payment receipts/print-outs and sales books, belonging to the Church
The defendants were also alleged to have fraudulenty converted the sum of N13 million, proceeds of spiritual items sold for the church to the account domiciled in First Bank Plc and GTB.
The stolen money was said to belong to Mountain of Liberation and Miracles Ministry (a.k.a. Grace Nation International or Liberation City)
The offences according to the prosecutor, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and Officer-In-Charge of Lagos’ PSFU Legal Department, are contrary to Section and punishable under 516; 383(1) and 383(2)(3); 516 and 438(a) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The two defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their not guilty plea, their lawyer, Mr Nicholas Akahabue, pleaded with the court to grant the defendants bail on liberal terms and self recognition.
He told the court that he was willing to stand as a surety for his clients, if his request was granted. While also promised to ensure that the allegedly stolen money was refunded to the church before the end of the trial.
Responding, prosecutor, CSP Jackson, did not oppose the request of the defence counsel. He, however, urged the court to grant bail conditions that would ensure they appeared in court for their trial.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi granted the defendants bail on self recognition and ordered them to deposit N5 million with the Court Registrar within 30-days.
The judge also ordered their lawyer to also deposit his certificate of “Call to Bar” within 30-days with the Court Registrar as a guarantee to always present the defendants for trial.
Oshodi noted that in the event the church workers were unable to meet up with the bail conditions within the stipulated time, they shall forfeit the bail.
The case was adjourned until May 19 for trial.
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