The Lagos State Police Command arraigned 33-year-old marketer Adewale Odegbesan on Monday for allegedly stealing products valued at N4 million.
According to The PUNCH,bOdegbesan faced charges of conspiracy to steal and theft before Magistrate O.Y. Adefope at the Chief Magistrate Court, Yaba.
The charges stated that Odegbesan, between June 2023 and February 2024, conspired to steal products worth N4,431,300 from the Betty Distribution Company, Drop Point, Ajangbadi, Lagos.
The company’s Human Resource Manager accused Odegbesan, who was employed as a marketer, of conspiring with store attendant Sheriff Aminat to steal the company’s products.
An audit conducted on February 6, 2024, revealed that products worth N4,431,300 were missing and the funds had not been remitted to the company’s account.
It was further discovered that Odegbesan had obtained goods from the company’s Okokomaiko branch without the branch manager’s consent and failed to deliver them to customers.
Following the report, Odegbesan was arrested and questioned, but initial investigations did not yield enough evidence to link him to the crimes.
However, further investigation uncovered evidence of the offences, and Odegbesan eventually confessed and promised to refund the money but did not fulfill this promise.
Prosecutor Haruna Magaji informed the court that the offences, which occurred between June 2023 and February 2024, violated Sections 411, 314, and 287 (a) (b) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
He added that statements from the complainant and the investigating officer supported the allegations.
Odegbesan pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Adefope set bail at N4 million and required four sureties residing in Lagos State.
The defendant was ordered to be remanded at the Ikoyi correctional centre until his bail conditions were met. The case was adjourned to September 9, 2024.
