The police in Lagos has dragged Bashiru Olatunji, a former sales representative before Magistrate E. Kubeinje of an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for alleged theft.
The 32-year-old is standing trial on a one-count charge of stealing, which he pleaded not guilty to.
According to the prosecutor, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, the accused committed the offence between January and November at Kosoko Street, Ojodu Berger, Lagos State.
The prosecutor told the court that Olatunji stole the total sum of N7,809,000 while still acting as a sales representative to his employer, one Deke Super Store.
The money is said to be the property of his employer.
The prosecutor said investigations revealed that the defendant had been stealing money from the company for a long time but was later apprehended and detained by the police.
She said the offence contravened the provisions of section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The court granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Kubeinje ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed with proof of tax payments and verification and that one of them must be a blood relative.
She adjourned the case until Dec. 19 for trial.
Meanwhile, fire razed down the popular Kogi Central Market in Kabba on Monday.
The fire, which started in the early hours of the morning, left traders and members of the community in shock and sorrow as the flames consumed numerous businesses and sources of livelihood.
Sympathizers rushed to the scene to prevent further spread, but despite their efforts, the intensity of the inferno made it difficult.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, with authorities working to determine whether it resulted from an electrical fault, negligence, or any other factor.
Meanwhile, Kabba residents have blamed the absence of firefighting equipment in the market that would have helped put out the flames.