Richard Nyong: charged

Akin Kuponiyi

A Federal high court sitting in Lagos on Friday adjourned till March 14, 2017 for arraignment of Lekki Garden Estate Limited boss, Mr Richard  Nyonh, his company,  Lekki Garden Estate Limited and two others on charges of conspiracy and stealing.

The adjournment by the presiding Judge Idris Mohammed was necessitated by the absence of the accused persons when the matter was mentioned on Friday.

The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force had  last year filed a three count criminal charge of conspiracy and stealing against Nyonh, his company Lekki Garden Estate Limited and two others before a Federal High Court in Lagos south west Nigeria.

The charge marked FHC/L/C/405C/2016, has Mrs. Amida Christiana and Mrs. Blessing Essien, as other accused persons in the criminal charge.

Nyonh, and other accused persons were alleged to have on or about April 22, 2014, at Lekki Garden Estate Limited, located at Plot 1, Lekki Garden Estate road, Olokonla district, conspired among themselves to steal one HP Mini laptop 320GB, and seven pairs of ladies shoes, which are valued at N184, 500, 00.

The accused persons were also alleged to have stolen the cash sum of N550,300.00, and a cheque slip worth N502,000,00.

Special Fraud Unit through its prosecutor, Ezema Susan, a Superintendent of Police, further stated that the accused persons, without court order or any lawful excuse, dispossessed one Eneh Excellence Nora, of a Hyundi Accent saloon car, number LSU 552 BR,an official car allocated to the said Eneh Excellence Nora, a former staff of Lekki Gardens limited.

The said offences alleged to have been committed by the accused persons are contrary to sections 516, 383 and 388, and punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Counts of the charge stated thus :”That you Mr. Richards Nyonh, Lekki Garden Estate Limited, Mrs. Amida Christiana and Mrs. Blessing Essien, being Director and staff of Lekki Garden Estate Limited, and others at large, on or about April 19, 2014, at the  Lekki Garden Estate Limited, Plot 1,  Lekki Garden Estate road,  Olokonla district, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with intent to commit felony, did steal the following items (a) 1 HP Mini Laptop 320GB valued N49, 500.00. (b) 7 pairs of ladies shoes valued N135, 000,00 (c) physical cash totaled N550, 300,00, (d) a cheque slip of N502, 000,00, property of Eneh Excellence Nora, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 383 of the Criminal Code Act Cap 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under section 390(9) of the same Act”.

The matter was first mentioned  on 12th of December, 2016, but was adjourned because none of the accused persons were present in court.

Consequently, Justice Idris Mohammed while adjourning for the arraignment of the accused persons ordered that hearing notices should be issued to the accused persons.