KINGSLEY EBERE
A 42-year old vulcanizer, Saheed Azeez, has opted to go to prison than to refund N10m, being the value of a car he was asked to sell by the owner, Oluwaseyi Ogolo, in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Azeez has been arrested and charged before the Yaba Magistrate for allegedly selling the car worth the said amount of money, which he was asked to sell but he converted the money to his personal use.
He was arraigned before the Presiding Magistrate, O.Y. Adefope, on two counts of conduct in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by selling a vehicle that did not belong to him and stealing.
The victim, who is based abroad, sent the car in question to Azeez to sell and remit the money to him. But he sold the car and converted the money to his own use.
After much efforts to persuade Azeez to return the money, he refused and was informed that the complainant will involve the Police in the matter, but it did not change his mind.
Thus, the matter was reported to the Police. He reportedly admitted to have sold the vehicle but still refused to bring the money even to the extent that when the Police threatened to charge him for the alleged offence before the Court, he still refused to refund the money.
On the charge sheet, it was stated that sometime in 2021, at Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos, he stole one Toyota 2008 Model car worth N10,000,250 belonging to one Oluwaseyi Ogolo, which
the victim’s elder brother reported the incident on his behalf, as the victim was based in the United States.
According to the Police, the defendant and the victim were business partners, and the victim usually sent cars to Nigeria for Azeez to sell, but he sold a Toyota 2008 Model car worth N10,000,250 in 2021 and refused to send the money to the owner of the vehicle.
After the report was made, the defendant was arrested and questioned. It was discovered that he was a vulcanizer and sold cars to people by the road, and he converted the money to personal use.
The prosecutor, Haruna Magaji, informed the Court that the alleged offences contravened Sections 168(d) and 280(1) and are punishable under Section 287(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
He also stated that there was evidence that the car was sold and that the defendant used the money for personal purposes.
The defendant, Azeez, pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, O.Y. Adefope, granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 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 case was adjourned until 24th July, 2024, for further hearing while the defendant was remanded in custody pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.