Emmanuel Johnson, a 32-year-old barman in Lagos, was charged by the police on Thursday for allegedly stealing N2.3 million from his employer.
Johnson is appearing before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court on charges of theft and disturbance of peace.
But he entered a not guilty plea to the accusation.
The defendant committed the act on June 11 at 10.50 p.m. at No. 2/4, Peter King Ilogbo, Badagry, according to the prosecutor, Inspector Edet Ekpo, who testified in court.
According to Ekpo, the defendant neglected to deposit the funds into the account of Mr. Collins Emeka, his employer.
Read Also: EFCC Moves to Prosecute Yahaya Bello’s Lawyers for Professional Misconduct and Contempt of Court
According to him, the defendant used the funds for his own purposes.
The prosecution stated, “The complainant’s attempts to get his money back were all unsuccessful.”
According Judge Ekpo, the defendant’s refusal to return the money was a behaviour likely to provoke a breach of peace.
According to the prosecutor, the crime violated Sections 287(7) and 168 of the Lagos, 2015 Criminal Law.
Stealing from an employer carries a seven-year prison sentence according to Section 287 (7).
The defendant was granted bail in the amount of N500,000 with two sureties in the same amount by Chief Magistrate Mr. N À Layeni.
Layeni stipulated that a priest should be one of the sureties and a community leader should be the other.
He postponed the case’s mention until July 17.
