MICHAEL AKINOLA
Five members of staff of Aso Rock Hotel and Suites have landed in trouble in Lagos State for allegedly conspiring and using super glue to cover empty bottles filled with water and presenting them to the management as unsold drinks worth N7.2m.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at the hotel located at Abaranje Road, Ikotun area of Lagos.
The indicted members of staff were Segun Oludiran, 35, Segun Falolu, 27, Yusuf Falolu, 24, Oluwajobi Ayodele, 33 and Lawal Abdulwahab, 24.
The suspects have been arrested including one of the receivers of the stolen drinks, Samuel Chinonso, 27.
Some of the assorted drinks stolen and replaced with empty bottles filled with water included cartons of Red Label, Jack Daniel, Hennessy, Champagne Orijin plastic drinks and others worth the said amount.
Apart from that, they were said to have at different times gone to the open market to buy and smuggle in drinks already sold to customers through the hotel’s fence while making profits for themselves without the consent of the hotel management.
The whole thing got exposed after the management continued to incur losses despite the huge patronage in the hotel to the extent the management was finding difficult to pay workers salary.
It was gathered that the hotel owner’s wife, Mrs. Blessing Arowale, conducted a physical audit of the whole drinks and sales in the hotel between 2022 and 2023 and made the shocking discovery, which has landed the indicted members of staff into trouble.
The matter was reported to the Police at Ikotun Division and the suspects were arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over the alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found them culpable and consequently charged them before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for conspiracy and stealing.
However, they pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, then 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. K.A. Ariyo, granted them bail with sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment and addresses verified by the Court.
The Court also ordered their remand in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till 16th January, 2024, for mention.