Police Drag 2 To Court For Stealing N69.5m Cars

Paul Iyoghojie

Operatives of the Maritime Police Command, Force Headquaters, Annex, Lagos have dragged two suspected fraudsters, Frederick Akinttomide, 49 and Ifedayo Akinwande, 36, before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly clearing twelve cars valued at N69,548,362 at the Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos with forged documents bearing a Custom licensed Agency, JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd without paying the duties accruable to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

A police source alleged that the accused were arrested on the order of the Assistant Inspector General Of Police, AIG in charge of Maritime Police Command, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, Baba Alkali Usman following a petition by the Management of JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd.

The accused persons were charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four count charge of felony to wit, forgering of bill of landing, hacking into the computers belonging to JSA Logistics Procurement, change the Customs password of the company to captured twelve cars in their systems and cleared them.

Police identified the cars cleared by the accused persons as Acura Honda MDX 3.5L, Toyota Rav 4, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Camry, Toyota Landcruser, Toyota Prado SUV and Mitsubishi Pajero.

Others are Land Cruiser Prado and two other Land Cruser Prado SUV.

Police Counsel, Friday Mameh informed the court in charge No G/18/2018 that the accused committed the offence in March and April, 2017 at Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos.

Mameh told the court that the accused persons hacked into the computer system of the management of JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd and forged documents bearing the company’s name to fraudulently clear 12 cars from the Port authority and escaped before they were arrested.

Mameh said the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 411, 389 and 365 (3)(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the open court and Magistrate Y .O Aro Lambo granted them bail in the sum of N1m each with two surties each in like sum who must own properties in Lagos.

Lambo adjourned the case till 17 April, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at Ikoyi Prison, Lagos till they fulfilled the bail conditions.