Two men sent to prison for stealing customer’s $3,000

Paul Iyoghojie

The Police at the Lion Building Division, Lagos Island, Lagos have arrested two residents of Ikota, Ajah, for allegedly stealing a customer’s $3,000, equivalent to N1,080,000 inside the banking hall at Ajah branch of Sterling Bank Plc.

The suspects are Adeshina, 26, a driver and Sikiru Ishola, 25, a mechanic.

Police alleged that the incident occurred on 18 0ctober, 2017 when a customer identified simply as Fayokemi went to the Alakoro branch of the bank to purchase the sum of $3,000 and forgot the money inside an envelope at the banking hall and went away.

Police further alleged that before Fayokemi returned to the bank to pick the money some hours later, unidentified persons had stolen it.

Following the development, she reported the matter to the management of the bank who played their CCTV Cameras and discovered that the two suspects who came to the bank to transact business stole the money and hurriedly left the banking hall unknown to them the that CCTV Cameras had captured them.

Nemesis, however, caught up with the suspects when Wasiu Adeshina came to the bank on 31 October, 2017 to withdraw money from his account and the cashier on duty recognized him and raised the alarm. He was apprehended and handed over to the Police.

During investigation, according to the Police, Adeshina allegedly confessed to the crime that he and his friend, Ishola stole the money.

He also allegedly confessed to the Police that he used the sum of N320,000 from his share to purchase a Nissan Car.

Adeshina led the Police to arrest his accomplice, Ishola at his home who also confessed to the alleged crime and that Adeshina stole the money and passed it to him at the banking hall, adding that Adeshina only gave him the sum of N350,000 as his share after they changed the dollars to Naira.

The two suspects were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate. Court, Lagos on a two count charge of felony to wit. stealing.

The offences, the Police Prosecutor, Abbass Abayomi said were contrary to section 280(1)(a) and punishable under sections 287 and 328(2)(b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State,2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime and Chief Magistrate A.O Komolafe admitted them to bail in the sum of N500,000 each with two sureties
each in like sum who must show proof of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

Komolafe adjourned the case till 9 January, 2017 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at the Ikoyi Prison, Lagos till they were able to fulfill the bail conditions.