Auchi Poly IT Student Jailed 4 Years For Stealing

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A female student of Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State, one Miss Nkechi Okafor has landed in prison after she stole her employer’s goods worth over N600,000 while on industrial training in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Nkechi was found guilty, convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment without an option of fine.

The theft happened at Dauda Ilo Street in Ejigbo, Lagos at the Coca Cola depot where she was employed as manager by the owner, Mrs. Maria Okonkwo.

It was gathered that Nkechi was a National Diploma holder and had gone for one year IT before she will continue her HND programme. She applied for the job and the complainant employed her to manage the depot.

The complainant’s father died two months after Nkechi was employed and she travelled to her home town in Delta State for the burial while handing over the products to her to manage as the journey took her out of Lagos for several weeks.

When she eventually returned, she discovered that about 250 crates of the products were missing and were not accounted for. She summoned Nkechi to bring the record books to reconcile the accounts. When an audit was conducted, it was discovered that Nkechi mutilated the account record book to cover the fraud.

The matter was reported to the police, Nkechi was arrested and detained at the Ejigbo Police Division where she eventually confessed.

She was charged before the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. J.O.E. Adeyemi Ajayi for the alleged offence.

She pleaded not guilty.

She was granted bail and the matter was slated for trial.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the prosecutor, Supol Kenneth Asibor diligently proved the matter beyond any reasonable doubt that Nkechi committed the offence. Asibor told the court that she was culpable and should be sentenced accordingly to serve as deterrent to any person that might want to commit such crime.

The court found him guilty as charge and sentenced accordingly.

However, it was gathered that Nkechi will spend the next two years in prison custody as the court had ordered that the sentence will run concurrently.