11th May, 2015
Akin Kuponiyi
A Lagos Chief Magistrates’ court has fixed June 24, 2015, for the trial of a manager with Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC, Olubusayo Abayomi Ayodeji, 40, who is alleged to have stolen the sum of N68,703,480, from the company.
Olubusayo, the NBC Plant/Logistics manager, was arraigned before the court by men of Criminal Investigation Department of Lagos State Police Command, Panti,Yaba, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The offences, according to the prosecutor, Inspector Richard Odigie, are contrary to and punishable under sections 409 and 285(7) of the criminal laws of Lagos state, 2011.
According to the criminal charge filed before the court, the accused manager and others now at large, between June 2011 and June 2014 were alleged to have conspired to steal the sum of N68,703,480 property of Nigerian Bottling Company, in Iddo House, Lagos.
The fraud was revealed when a forensic audit was conducted on the company’s account.
Following the exposure of the fraud, the accused was handed over to the police by the beverages company’s management for prosecution.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the prosecutor, Inspector Odigie, told the court that the matter was slated for mention, and therefore urged the court for a trial date.
Counsel to the accused, Mr. Tunji Adeyemi, did not oppose the prosecutor’s application for trial date to be fixed.
Consequently, the presiding Chief Magistrate Mrs. O. I. Adelaja, a Chief magistrate, adjourned the matter till 24 June, 2015, for the trial of the accused to commence.
The accused who pleaded not guilty to the charges is currently on bail.