9th August, 2011
An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Monday sentenced a 37-year-old steward to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing his employer’s N1.1 million.
In his judgment, Magistrate F.V. Davis-Abegunde, said that the sentence was without an option of fine.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Peter Nwangwu, said that the convict, Daniel Okuji, who was first arraigned on July 6, stole 4920 euros (about N1.1 million), property of his employer, one Patrick Duniyi.
Nwangwu told the court that the convict was on a monthly salary of N50,000 and had worked for Duniyi for three consecutive years.
He told the court that a total of 4,020 euros was recovered from the convict and his wife, adding that the convict refused to produce the remaining 900 euros.
According to the prosecutor, the convict went into hiding after stealing the money and was arrested in a hotel in Atan, Ogun, where he had lodged with his family.
Okuji, who pleaded guilty to the charge, pleaded for mercy.