4th September, 2024
By Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Maroko Division, Lekki, Lagos have arrested a 35-year-old accountant with the Midak Property Limited, Avoke Edesiri Dowe and charged him before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly fraudulently withdrawing the sum of N4,505,700 from the account of his employer and converted the money to his use.
Police said that the defendant allegedly used his position as the accountant to his employer to withdraw the money at different times from his Employer’s account, adding that nemesis, however, caught up with him when his employer audited the company’s account and discovered the alleged fraud.
Police further alleged that following the development, the complainant reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Maroko Division, Lekki who swiftly directed his crack team led by Monday Otolor to fish out the defendant and the Police through intelligence gathering tracked him to a hideout in Lagos.
Avoke was charged before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court sitting at the Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court, Oyingbo, Lagos on a count charge bordering on stealing.
Police prosecuting Counsel, Gbenga Salami told me Court in the charge Marked T/40/2024 that the defendant committed the offence between May and August 2024 at plot 19, Olowoeko Close, Jose Maria Escriva Estate, Ikate, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Salami informed the Court that the defendant unlawfully and fraudulently withdrew the sum of N4,505,700 at different times from the account of his employer and converted the money to his use before nemesis finally caught up with him.
He said the offences, the defendant committed was punishable under sections 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and his Counsel, Barr. Anayo Agbo prayed to the Court to grant him bail in the most liberal terms promising that he would not jump bail if granted.
Magistrate O.C. Emeka granted the defendant N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Magistrate Emeka adjourned the case till 20 September 2024 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility with a detention warrant till he perfected the bail conditions.
