MICHAEL AKINOLA
Two staff of PTP telecommunications company, Sunday Agboola, 34 and Sodiq Badmus, 26, have been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly looting MTN mask and carting away items worth over N20m.
P.P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Tipper Garage, Etegbin, in Ojo area of Lagos, where they were employed as MTN mask maintenance officers by their company.
The items stolen included 36 pieces of backup batteries worth N14.4m and transformer coils worth N6m belonging to MTN, which they were supposed to secure and maintain as company staff.
Rather, they stole the items, sold them and the company later discovered. They were then handed over to the Police at Ilembe Hausa Division for interrogation over the missing items.
After interrogation, the Police found them culpable and consequently charged them before the Ojo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The charges read:
That you. Sunday Agboola ‘m’, Sodiq Badmus ‘m’, and three others at large, sometime in the month of May, 2024 at about 2030 of Tipper Garage, Elegbin, in Ojo Lagos the Ojo Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felorry to wit: Stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
” That you, Sunday Agboola ‘m’, Sodiq Badmus ‘m’, and three others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, being the staffs of PTP Telecommunications Company, in charge of IH.S. M.T.N. Mast maintenance, did steal two (2) Transformer coils valued Six Million Naira (N6,000,000.00) only. property of I.H.S Telecommunication Company, represented by one Adegoke Abiodun ‘m’ and Fatai Aragberi mand thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagon State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT III: That you, Sunday Agboola ‘m’, Sodiq Badmus ‘m’, and three others at large, on the 25th day of June, 2024 at about 2040 hrs at Tipper Garage, Etegbin, Ojo, Lagos State, in the Ojo Magisterial District, being the staffs of IPT Telecommunications Company, in charge of LHS MTN Mast maintenance, did steal Thirty Six (36) pieces of Backup Batteries, valued Fourteen Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N14,400,000.00) only property of I.H.S. Telecommunications Company, represented by one Adegoke Abiodun ‘m’ and thereby commit an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
They pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Esther Adesulu, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. A.M. Alade, granted them bail in the sum of N1.5m with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned till 1st September, 2024, for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.