A 41-year-old clearing agent, Ayodeji Oyeleye, was on Monday brought before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court over an alleged N3.9 million theft.
Oyeleye, whose address was not given in court, is standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining under false pretences and stealing.
The Prosecutor, ASP Benson Emuerhi , told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometime in December, 2018 at the Apapa area of Lagos.
Emuerhi said that the defendant obtained the sum of N3.6 million from the complainant, one Ebenezer Akinnagbe, under the pretext of clearing a 40ft container from Tin-can port in Apapa, on his behalf.
He alleged that the defendant also obtained the sum of N330, 000 from one Oluwafemi Olumide, with the pretence of clearing his Pontiac Vibe car, also at Tin- Can port, Apapa.
“The defendant obtained the money from the complainants, but failed to clear the container and the car.
“Oyeleye converted the money to his personal use and absconded.
“All efforts made by the complainants to get the defendant to refund the money proved abortive,” Emuerhi said.
According to him, the offences contravened Sections 287 (5), (a), Section 314 (1), (a), (3) and Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 provides a three-year jail term for convicted offenders.
The Chief Magistrate, Olufunke Sule-Amzat, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Sule-Amzat said that the sureties must be blood relations of the defendant.
She said that the sureties should show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.
The Chief Magistrate, however, adjourned the case until July 8, for mention.
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