Two delivery men, who allegedly converted their employer’s milk worth N23 million to their personal use, were on Thursday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The defendants, James Oja, 47, and Sunny Ejidike, 52, are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence and stealing.
Police prosecutor, Mr Augustine Nwabuisi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on May 3.
According to him, the defendants had picked the milk in a Mark truck registered AJL 924 XW for delivery to their employer, FCMG, located at No. 13, Fati Atere str., Mushin area of Lagos.
He however told the court that the two defendants diverted the truck, stole all the goods and sold them.
Nwabuisi listed the items in the delivery truck as: 731 tins of Forto instant milk, 179 sachets of Kerry gold milk, 24 cartons of Kerry gold tin, 15 bags of Forto instant milk and 2 bags of Kerry gold milk.
He further told the court that the total value of the milk was N23 million.
“My Lord, when they missed their delivery day, the head of logistics came to the station and reported the theft.
“During investigations, we discovered that the defendants had rerouted the truck to a different location, offloaded the milk and sold some of them,” Nwabuisi said.
The offences contravened Sections 287 (7), 314 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence of obtaining by false pretences attracts 15 years jail term while that of stealing from one’s employer attracts seven years.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties each in like sum.
Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghere said that all the sureties must be gainfully employed with evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Oghere adjourned the case till Aug. 7, for trial. (NAN)