22nd May, 2012
An Oredo Magistrate Court in Benin, presided by Chief Magistrate Frank Oamen Idiake, has sentenced a middle-aged woman, Helen Odemwingie to five years in prison for stealing N5.2 million belonging to her employer.
Mrs. Odemwingie who was tried on a four-count charge, including stealing and removal of bank tellers and destruction of the tellers, belonging to Messrs. J. I. Aisoweren and Sons, was however given an option of N50, 000 fine.
According to the prosecutor, the accused, a cashier with Messrs J. I. Aisoweren and Sons, between the months of January and August 2009 while working as a cashier, stole N5.2 million she was supposed to pay into the company’s bank account.
The prosecutor further told the court that during the same period, Helen Odemwingie tampered with the account books of the firm with intent to defraud; and also removed N25, 000 out of N451, 930.00 entrusted to her to pay into the same bank account on 26 August, 2009.
Helen Odemwingie was also accused of wilfully removing and destroying the bank tellers for depositing money into the firm’s bank account between the months of January and August 2009.
While sentencing the accused, Chief Magistrate Idiake ruled that Odemwingie was guilty of all the charges, and would be punished under the relevant sections of the Criminal Code. He sentenced her to five years in jail. The term, he said, should run concurrently.
—Jethro Ibileke/Benin