Police arraign lawyer for allegedly stealing $40,000

A legal practitioner Joshua Olomo has been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing documents and the sum of $40,000 (N8.2million) belonging to an oil company.
The defendant, who studied law at City University London, is facing a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing preferred against him by the police.

In charge number C/105/2015, the police claimed that the defendant broke into the office of the Chief Financial Officer of the company, one Oluseyi Oladapo, with intent to commit a felony.

The prosecutor, Inspector R. E. Odigwe, told the court that in the process, the defendant stole the $40,000, property of Pan Ocean Corporation Limited.

He alleged that the defendant also removed some official documents belonging to the company and transferred same to one Segun Fadeyi.

The prosecutor also claimed that the defendant committed the offences between January and December 9, 2015 at the company's office in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The offences, Inspector Odigwe said, are contrary to Section 284 and punishable under Sections 310(c), 285(8), 59 and 60 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Counts four and five of the charge reads: "That you Joshua Olomo between January and December 9, 2015 did steal the sum of $40, 000 property of Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Limited from the Chief Financial Officer and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 284 and punishable under Section 285(8) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria.

"That you Joshua Olomo between January and December 9, 2015 on the same date, time and place did remove and disclose some official secret documents of Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Limited and communicated same to one Segun Fadeyi and thereby committed an offence punishable under Sections 59 and 60 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria".

However, the defendant denied all of the charges.

Chief Magistrate Mrs. S.K. Matepo granted him bail in the sum of N2million with two sureties in the like sum.

Each surety must present three years' tax payment receipt and verifiable addresses.

The matter was adjourned till January 6, 2016 for trial.