MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 31-year old female school bursar, Cynthia Abikeibe, has landed in trouble in Lagos State for allegedly swindling the management of White Spring Nursery and Primary School to the tune of N840,000 being payment of students school fees, which she converted to her own use.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at the school premises located at White Sand, Isheri Oshun area of Lagos, where the school is located.
The suspect, Cynthia, was employed as a staff in charge of finance. And according to the Police, she gave the parents of the students her Access Bank account number, 0101037607 and directed them to pay their children school fees into her account without the consent of the school management.
The parents complied and paid the said money into the account without suspicion of any foul play. It was until the management carried an internal audit that it was discovered that Cynthia has not remittted the money into the school account.
The matter was reported to the Police at Isheri Oshun Division. She was then arrested and detained at the station for interrogation for allegedly diverting the money.
While being interrogated, she reportedly admitted to have directed some parents to pay the money into her account, which she had used to solve her personal problems and was unable to refund the money.
The Police found her culpable and consequently charged her before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
She however, pleaded not guilty when she was arraigned.
The prosecutor, Supol Benedict Aigbokhan, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since she pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that she actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. K.A. Ariyo, granted her bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment.
The matter was adjourned till 11th December, 2023, for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when she will perfect her bail conditions.