Marine Police Arrests, Drags 2 To Court For Stealing N69.5m Cars

PAUL IYOGHOJIE

Operatives of the Marine Police Command, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos have dragged two suspected fraudsters, Frederick Akintomide, 49 and Ifedayo Akinwande, 36 before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly fraudulently clearing 12 cars valued at N69.5million at the Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos with forged documents bearing a Custom licensed Agency, JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd without paying the duties accruable to the Federal Government of Nigeria and escaped.

A Police source alleged that the accused were arrested on the order of the Assistant Inspector General Of Police, in charge of Marine Police Command, Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, Baba Alkali Usman following a petition by the Management of JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd.

After investigation by Supol Remigius Nwambu and his team, the accused persons were charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court on a four count charge of felony to wit. forgery of bill of lading, hacking into the computers belonging to JSA Logistics Procurement, change the Customs password of the Company to captured 12 cars in their systems and cleared them.

Police identified the cars allegedly fraudulently cleared by the accused persons as Acura Honda MDX 3.5L, Toyota Rav 4, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Camry, Toyota Landcruser, Toyota Prado SUV and Mitsubishi Pajero.

Land cruiser Prado and two other Land cruser Prado SUV.

Police Counsel, Friday Mameh informed the Court that the accused committed the offence in March and April, 2017 at Tin Can Island Ports, Apapa, Lagos.

Mameh told the Court that the accused persons hacked into the Computer system of the Management of JSA Logistics Procurement Ltd and forged documents bearing the company name to fraudulently clear 12 cars from the Port Authority and escaped before they were arrested.

Mameh said the offences committed were punishable under sections 411, 389 and 365(3)(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges in the open Court and Magistrate, Y .O Aro-Lambo granted them bail in the sum of N1m each with two sureties each in like sum who must own properties in Lagos.

Aro-Lambo adjourned the case till 17 April, 2018 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at Ikoyi Prison, Lagos till they fulfill the bail conditions.