Two Jailed For Stealing N112m

Two men Abdulsalam Ibrahim and Olayinka Olaiya, alleged to have stolen the sum of N45million and N67million (Sixty-Seven Million, Seven Hundred Sixty Thousand Naira) respectively have been remanded in separate correctional facilities.

The remand followed their arraignment by the Lagos zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos on charges of stealing property belonging to Flour Mills of Nigeria.

A statement issued by the EFCC Spokesman, Tony Orilade on Friday said one of the charges reads: “That you Abdulsalam Ibrahim on the 28th June, 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with a dishonest intent converted to your own use the sum of N45, 000, 000.00 (Forty Five Million Naira) property of Flour Mills of Nigeria.”

The statement said the first defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

“Upon the plea, prosecution counsel, Ahmed Yerima, asked the court for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the defendant in the correctional facility pending the determination of the case.

“Defence counsel, Okpara Oluchukwu, informed the court that the defence was yet to file an application for bail on behalf of his client but however pleaded with the court for a short date to file and serve the prosecution with the application and to move same.

“Justice Dada adjourned the case till June 9, 2020 for hearing and commencement of trial.

“She ordered that Ibrahim be remanded in correctional facility pending the hearing of the bail application,” the statement said.

Continuing further, the statement said the second defendant, Olaiya allegedly stole the money whilst being the Registrar of Dental Technology Registration Board Agency.

One of the charges reads: “That you Olayinka Olaiya between 17th day of September, 2015 and 19th day of October, 2015 in Lagos and within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court being the Registrar of Dental Technology Registration Board dishonestly converted to the use of Make Up Nigeria Limited, the sum of N12,150,00 (Twelve Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) property of Dental Registration Board Agency.”

According to the EFCC statement, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“In view of the plea, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo asked the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in correctional facility.

“However, the defendant had no legal representative in court.

“Justice Dada, however adjourned the case till May 5, 2020 for commencement of trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in correctional facility,” the statement concluded.