Kemisola Oye
THREE sales representatives, Olamide Efuntade; Nofisat Hammed and Aliyat Adio have been arraigned before a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting at Yaba over allegation of conspiracy and stealing of the total sum of N24.5 million.
The trio were arraigned before Magistrate Ejiro Kubenje on five count charges by the operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The prosecutor, Mr Morufu Animashaun, from the Legal and Prosecution Department of the ForceCID, told the court that the defendants committed the offences between the year 2024 and 9 March 2025, at 27, Nollah Street, Abaranje Road, Ikotun area of Lagos State.
He said the stolen funds belonged to one Mrs Adenike Adelanwa, whom the three defendants were working with.
The prosecutor said the first defendant, Efuntade stole the sum of N13 million, while both Nofisat Ahmed and Aliyat Adio stole N10 million and N1.5 million, respectively.
Animashaun told the court that the defendants, who were sales representatives of the complainant, used their personal account to receive monies from customers and diverted the proceeds for their personal use.
He said their offences contravened the provision of sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The trio however denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their not-guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand them pending the determination of the charges against them.
But their lawyers orally applied for their bail on the ground that charges against them are bailable. He added that the defendants are presumed to be innocent until the contrary is proven.
Magistrate Kubenje granted each of the defendants bail in the sum of N2 million each, with two responsible sureties in like sum.
The magistrate further ordered that the sureties must have gainfully employed, and have their addresses verified by the prosecutor, and thereafter adjourned the matter to 12 May 2025, for mention.
Eighteen-Eleven Media