28th November, 2013
A staff of MTN, Afisi Ayomide, has been arrested and arraigned before the Lagos Magistrates’ Court sitting at Cele, Ijeshatedo for allegedly defrauding more than 65 job seekers in Lagos, western Nigeria.
He was alleged to have collected N78,000 each from the job seekers as fees for registration form, identity card and employment form.
Ayomide who was employed as a computer operator with the telecommunications giant, was still under probation and posted to the Sururere branch of the company when he committed the offence.
The police in their report said he perfected the plan to dupe the innocent job seekers by employing an agent who collected millions of naira from the desperate job seekers. Though the total amount he allegedly collected from the victims has not been ascertained by the police, sources said it is in millions.
The accused, an OND graduate of Accounting of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State did his IT at the company and was employed as a computer operator.
In his statement to the police, Ayomide said he learnt the company wanted to employ workers at their two branches at Fatai Atere Way, Mushin and Sururere areas, and he decided to engage the victims.
The police accused him of printing registration forms and MTN identity cards which he gave to his victims after paying N78, 000.
He later asked his victims to resume work at the branches but the job seekers were rejected.
The matter was reported to the police at Area ‘D’ Mushin and Ayomide was arrested and charged to court. When he was arraigned, he pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and illegally printing MTN identity cards.
The presiding magistrate, Mrs. O A Gbajumo granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The matter was adjourned till 15 January, 2014.
—Cyriacus Izuekwe