Company Workers Arraigned Over Theft of N20m Equipment

The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned two employees of a construction company, Encon International Limited, Peter Musa, a security guard, and Friday Iniekem, an accountant, over the theft of 40 units of equipment valued at N20m.

The accountant and security guard were arraigned before Magistrate O. Y. Adufope of the Yaba Magistrates’ Court on three counts of conspiracy and theft.

The police prosecutor, Magaji Haruna, told the court that each unit of the equipment weighed 15 kilogrammes and could not be stolen without anyone noticing.

The prosecutor said since the lock to the room where the equipment was kept was not broken neither was there any complaint of a break-in or robbery in the company, the theft was organised.

The accountant, who was in possession of the key to the room, and the security guard were arraigned for the crime.

According to Haruna, the offences are punishable under sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2022.

The charges read in part, “That you, Peter Musa and Iniekem Friday, between October 2021 and November 2022 at19, Campbell Street, Lagos Island, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal 40 units mechanism of Speedgate, valued at N20,000,000, property of Lorenzo Anthonio, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate admitted them to bail in the sum of N5m with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till February 28, 2023.