For allegedly stealing $10,000 belonging to their employer, two bullion van drivers with the Banker’s Warehouse, Victoria Island, Lagos have been arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court.
The defendants, Abioye Ayodeji, 44, from Osun State, and a resident of Tunde Ogini Street, Meiran and Victor Akpan, from Akwa Ibom State, a resident of Mushin, Lagos, were alleged to have cleverly stole the dollars while they were loading money into the bullion vans for delivery to other banks.
The two were however captured by the CCtv cameras installed inside the warehouse.
Police alleged that when the manager in charge of bullion vans operations at the banks uncovered the theft, he allegedly reviewed the CCtv cameras mounted inside the warehouse during which he saw that the defendants allegedly stole the money.
Following the development, the bullion van manager reported the incident to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Bar beach Division, Victoria Island who dispatched his men led by Inspector Mimka Nenrot to the scene to arrest the defendants.
The defendants were charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on two-count of stealing.
Police Counsel, Reuben Solomon informed the Court in the charge marked Q/21/2021 that the defendants committed the offence on 21 September, 2021 at the Banker’s Warehouse located at 15, Karimu Kotun Street Victoria Island, Lagos.
Solomon told the Court that the defendant betrayed the trust reposed in them by their employer as bullion vans drivers and stole the $10,000 amounting to N5.5m and converted the money to their use before nemesis caught with them with the help of CCtv cameras.
He said the offences committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287 (d) of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate A.S Abioye granted them N500, 000 bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
Abioye adjourned the case till 16 November, 2021 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at the Ikoyi correctional facility till they perfected their bail conditions.
