Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Lawyer docked over N50.3m theft

By Onozure Dania
Lagos—A 37-year-old lawyer, Yetunde Fashesin-Souza, was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos High Court sitting at Igbosere for allegedly stealing N50,280,000.
The defendant, who resides at plot 4 Ogunusi Road Omole Junction, Ikeja, Lagos, is facing a count charge of stealing preferred against her by Lagos State government.
The prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oduntola, told the court that sometime in 2011, the defendant being a legal practitioner to a company (Food and Cold Storage) Ltd, NFS Lagos, did steal N50,280,000, belonging to the company.
She said Fashesin-Souza stole the said amount at the premises of the company located in Apapa area of the state.
Oduntola further stated that the money was given to her for the renewal of the lease hold interest granted by the Lagos State government.
Oduntola, who said she was not opposing the bail application, said the matter was before Justice Samuel Candid-Johnson and that the defendant never appeared before the court until the bench warrant was issued.
According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Sections 390 (9) of the criminal code cap C17 Vol 2 of Lagos State criminal law 2003.
However, the defendant denied the allegation when the charge was read to her.
The defendant’s counsel, Olakunle Williams, who applied for the defendant’s bail, told the court that he had filed an application of bail dated August 29, urging the court to grant the defendant bail since the offence was not a capital offence.
He told the court that the defendant has been in Kirikiri prison custody since August, contrary to the information that she was on the run, which prompted the court to issue a bench warrant against her.
Justice Adebiyi adjourned the matter till October 2, for ruling on the bail application.

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