The police in Lagos state says it has arrested one Isiaka
Abiodun, a marketer with a commercial bank branch in Okota, Lagos, who
reportedly absconded with a sum of N309, 000 collected as deposits from
traders.
Abiodun, 28, had collected the sum from one Mrs. Nneka Eze, a
trader in Lekki, and two others, identified only as Ebulu and Chidera.
Eze, whose deposit was N300, 000, had approached the bank on the
alleged fraud and had subsequently reported the crime to the company through
which Abiodun was employed.
The suspect had obtained the sum from the traders sometime in
July 2015 and disappeared from the bank in November when the fraud was
discovered.
The Chief Security Officer of the firm, whose name was not mentioned,
consequently reported the case at the Ajah Police Division who disclosed that
the suspect was later tracked down to his house on March 7, 2016, The Punch
gathered.
According to Abiodun’s statement to the police, he used the
money to pay the medical bill of his mother who had a stroke. He said he
intended to refund the money in installments from his salaries, adding that he
had repaid N50, 000.
Abiodun said, “I am a contract worker with the bank and I have
been working there for three years. It is true that I collected N309, 000 from
the bank customers, but I used the money to treat my mother who had a stroke.
“I travelled in November to attend to her. I have paid N50, 000
to the bank. I intend to pay the balance in installment from my salary,”
Abiodun noted.
Meanwhile, Inspector I. Okeke, a police prosecutor at a Tinubu
Magistrate’s Court on Monday arraigned the suspect on one count charge of
stealing.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant had confessed
to the offence, which is punishable under Section 285 (7) of the Criminal Law
of Lagos State, 2011.
Abiodun pleaded not guilty and was subsequently was granted bail
by the presiding magistrate, Mr. A. Adefulire, in the sum of N400, 000 with two
sureties in like sum.
The magistrate adjourned the case till April 20, 2016, ruling
that the sureties must tender evidence of tax payments and details of their residential
addresses to the court for verification.
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