12th September, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Barbeach Division, Victoria Island, Lagos have arrested a security guard, Mallam Ali Hassan, 52, for allegedly conniving with others still at large to steal properties entrusted in his care by his employer, Silverbird Communication Plc., valued at N5,355,000.
A Police source alleged that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Barbeach Division directed his men to arrest the suspect and recover the stolen properties following a complaint by the management of Silverbird Communication Plc.
Properties allegedly stolen by the suspect, according to the Police, include three HP Panasonic air conditioners, two HP Haier Thermocool air conditioners, one Mikano 100KVA generator, four wheeler bin, one Qlink bike and two Atlas’s all valued N5,355,000.
The accused from Borno State, Northeast Nigeria was charged before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on a two-count charge of felony to wit, stealing.
Police Counsel, Cyriacus Osuji informed the Court in charge No L/65/2018 that the accused and others still at large committed the offence on 3 September, 2018 at 3 Musa Yar’dua Street,Victoria Island, Lagos.
Osuji told the Court that the accused betrayed the trust reposed in him by his employer, Silver bird Communication Plc and connived with others still at large to steal his employer’s properties valued N5,355,000 and sold them for his personal use.
Osuji said the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287(7) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
Hassan, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the open Court and Magistrate, Ope Agbe granted him bail in the sum of N1,000,000 with one surety in like sum.
Ope Agbe adjourned the case till 25 September, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Ikoyi Prison, Lagos until the bail conditions are perfected.