7th November, 2017
Paul Iyoghojie
A distributor with the Berger Paint Nigeria Plc, at Oba Akran Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, Emmanuel Evbota, 74 has been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly collecting various paint products from the company valued at N22,650,000 to sell and remit the proceeds into the account of the company, but instead converted the proceeds to his personal use.
The accused, according to the police was arrested on the order of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos following a petition by the Management of Berger Paint Plc.
The accused was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a three-count charge of felony to wit, stealing N22,650,000 and issuance of GTBank dud cheque.
Police Counsel, Friday Mameh informed the Court in charge No A/65/2017 that the accused committed the offence between January and December,2009 at Berger Paint,Lagos.
Mameh told the Court that the accused used his position as a distributor with the company to fraudulently collect various paint products valued at N22,650,000 from the complainant with the pretext to sell and remit the proceeds to the complainant, but instead he sold the paints and converted the money to his use.
Mameh said that the accused also issued a GTBank cheque No 18602108 valued at N22,650,000 to the complainant with the pretext of paying back the money, but that when the cheque was presented at the bank for payment, it was dishonoured due to lack of funds in the account.
Mameh said that the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 314 (1a), 287(7) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015 and section 1 (b)(1) of the dishonoured cheque offence Act. Cap.102 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open Court and Chief Magistrate, A.O Komolafe admitted him to bail in the sum of N5m with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till 7 December, 2017 for mention.
The defendant was ordered by the Magistrate to be taken to Ikoyi Prison, pending when he will be able to fulfill the bail conditions.