Two women, Blessing Ali and Juliet Ifennembi, who allegedly stole 173 cartons of shoes worth N7 million belonging to their Chinese employer, were on Tuesday docked at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
Ali, 24, from Abia is resident in the Orile area of Lagos and Ifennembi, 24, from Anambra lives in the Ojo area of Lagos. Both were employed as salesgirls in a Chinese firm, Trianze Trading Co., situated at No. 6, Davies Street, Lagos Island.
The accused are standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Feddy Asu, told the court that the firm’s Managing Director, Mrs XU Min, travelled abroad and on her return to Nigeria in March, audited the company’s accounts.
Asu said that the managing director found out that 173 cartons of brand new shoes allegedly under both women’s supervision were unaccounted for.
He said that the accused and others at large committed the alleged offences on March 8, at about 10:00 am in the company’s premises.
“They stole 173 cartons of shoes valued at N7 million, property of a Chinese national, one Mrs XU Min,’’ the prosecutor alleged.
The prosecutor noted that the offences contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused denied the charges.
The Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Sholadoye, granted them N500,000 bail each with two sureties each in the like sum.
She ordered that one of the sureties must be a property owner within the court’s jurisdiction.
The magistrate, however, remanded them in Ikoyi Prison pending their fulfillment of the bail conditions and adjourned the case till April 1 for mention.