27th February, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
A service Co-ordinator Manager with Service Trust Ltd located at Ikota area of Ajah, Lagos, Paul Omodharo Alekuzuazo, 42, has been arrested and arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly using ghost workers to defraud his employer of N10m.
Also charged with him for the alleged crime were two of the ghost workers the manager allegedly used to perpetrate the alleged fraud.
They are Goodnews Udoka, 31,and Itam Emah, 38.
The accused persons, according to a police source were arrested on the order of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Ikoyi Division, Ikoyi, Lagos, SP Tijani Mustapha following a complaint by the management of Service Trust Ltd.
The accused persons were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a three-count charge of felony to wit, obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.
Police Counsel, Jimoh Joseph informed the Court that Alekuzuazo and others committed the offence between the month of January, 2014 and 22 February, 2018 at Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc located at Kareem Kotun Street,Victoria Island, Lagos.
Joseph told the court that the first accused, Alekuzuazo betrayed the trust reposed in him by his employer as the Service Coordinator Manager as he issued IBTC cheques to many ghost workers whose names were not on the payroll of his employer to take to his employer’s bank and cash the cheques for their monthly salary as workers of Service Trust Ltd knowing fully well that they were not workers of the company but ghost workers.
Joseph said that after the ghost workers cashed the money from the IBTC Bank, they would summit the money to Alekuzuazo who would in turn give token to the ghost workers and that he would convert the balance to his use while still earning his monthly salary from his employer.
He said that Alekuzuazo defrauded his employer of N10m with ghost workers for four years before nemesis caught up with him and others.
Joseph added that the management of Service Trust Ltd uncovered the fraud when they audited their account.
He said the offences the accused persons committed were punishable under sections 411, 312(1)( a)(2) and 287(8) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court and Chief Magistrate O.O. Oshin granted them bail in the sum of N250,000 each with one surety each in like sum.
Oshin adjourned the case till 26 March, 2018 for mention.