Justice

A 21- year-old company driver Afolabi Tobiloba, who allegedly stole crates of Nigeria Brewery products valued at N41 million, was on Monday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

Tobiloba, who resides at Association Avenue, Ikotun, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp. Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Jan. 23, at No. 469, Abeokuta Expressway, Super Bus stop, Abule Egba, Lagos.

Emuerhi alleged that the defendant absconded with 490 crates of Goldberg beer, 280 crates of Star beer, 840 crates of Heineken beer, and a trailer with registration no. FST 115 WS, property of Fafem Haulage Nigeria limited.

He said the defendant, who is a driver in Fafem Haulage, was given the trailer loaded with the said goods to deliver to V.O. Ekoyata and sons Nigeria ltd., in Uromi, Edo State.

“The defendant absconded with the goods and trailer and all efforts to locate him proved abortive.

“The matter was reported to the police by Mr Akinsanmi Babatunde, Fafem’s Transport Manager.

“During police investigation, it was discovered that the goods and truck have been diverted to an unknown destination; and the defendant had failed to report to the office,” Emuerhi said.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 287 stipulates a seven-year jail term for convicts.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olufunke Sule-Amzat, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Sule-Amzat said the sureties should be gainfully employed and should show evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

The case was adjourned until April 25, for further mention.