By Adaeze Iroha
Lagos – The police on Wednesday arraigned a 48-year-old logistics officer of NIPCO, Mairiga Umar, in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing four trucks of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) valued at N17.7million from the company.
Umar, whose address was not provided, is charged with theft.
The Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Modupe Olaluwoye, told the court that the defendant committed the offence in September 2018, at NIPCO office, Apapa, Lagos.
She told the court that the defendant allegedly stole four trucks laden with 132,000 litres of PMS valued at N17.7 million from the company while in its employment .
Olaluwoye alleged that the company’s management discovered the fraud during its end of year audit.
She said that Umar converted the proceeds from the illegal sale of the company’s PMS to his personal use.
She said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (Revised)
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 prescribes a seven-year jail term for offender upon conviction.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oghere, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.
She ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation but that both must both be gainfully and should provide proof of ownership of properties situated within the court’s jurisdiction.
Oghere further ruled that and the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The magistrate adjourned the case until June 19 for mention.
