A 33-year old female filling station manager, Onyekachi Victoria, has been arrested along with a worker, Abdullahi Mutari and charged for allegedly manipulating the meters and sales stock to swindle both customers and owner to the tune of N26m in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Amonota Omosebi Street, Ago, Okota area of Lagos, where the station owned by Dantini Sodiq is located.
According to the Police, the suspects conspired, manipulated the fuel station meters and were selling to customers and still did not effect the normal daily sales in the stock books.
However, the scam later leaked and the matter was reported to the Police at Ago Okota Division before the suspects were arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over their alleged conduct.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Isolo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, Onyekachi Victoria ( f) and Abdullahi Mutari (m) and others now at large sometimes in the month of April, 2024, at Amonota Omosebi Street, Ago Okota in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II:” That you, Onyekachi Victoria ( f) and Abdullahi Mutari (m) and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did steal the sum of Twenty six million, Five hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N26,550,000:00) from your fuel sales, property of one Dantini Sodiq ‘M’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT III:” That you, Onyekachi Victoria ( f) and Abdullahi Mutari (m) and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by manipulating the fuel meter and the daily stock and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Of Nigeria 2015.”
They pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Inspector Solomon, 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. O.I. Williams, granted them bail with two sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.