Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of a Special Offences Court, Ikeja has heard how one Abdulsalam Ibrahim, alledgedly stole N45 million Naira belonging to Flour Mills Nigeria, PLC.
A policeman, Saheed Omosanya, while being led in evidence by Ebareotu Pereagbe, a counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, testified as the fifth prosecution witness at the ongoing trial on Wednesday.
The prosecution witness attached to the Special Fraud Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Annex Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos explained that he investigated the case in which the defendant was alledgedly involved.
According to him, he received a distress call on 1st July, 2019 that the defendant was kidnapped and that those who kidnapped him took him to GTBank at Victoria Island.
“We went to the bank premises, I met Abdulsalam Ibrahim within the bank premises and one Oye and we brought them back to the office.
“We understood they kidnapped him on June 2019 and was taken somewhere in Surulere.”
Further in his testimony, PW 5 said, “While in their custody, a sum of N45 million that was transferred into his GTB account was transferred to some other account and was taken to the bank on Monday to exchange the balance with some Bureau De Change operator.
The police officer also said during his evidence, “I went to the nearest GTBank, Ikoyi, I met the Branch Manager together with Abdulsalam, we inquired who must have had access to his account aside you.”
“The lady said it is only him and the and the account officer that could have access.
“I also took out investigation to some part of Surulere, where those who kidnapped him took him too.
“He established the identity of one of them who goes by the name Akeem Omo Alhaja.
“We interrogated the account officer who denied that nobody had access to the account during the period the money was transferred into the account.
He told the court, “Flour Mills confirmed that a sum of N45 million Naira was transferred into Abdulsalam Ibrahim account, was part of the money transferred unlawfully out of the account to GTB.
“The GTB also came, fortunately, the day they came, I was sent to Jos office, when I came back one of my IPO told me that they said they would come back
“I wrote them twice, they never bothered to come back to the office. We called them through the number they gave us, they told us they had reported to EFCC and they gave us the schedule of all the money…to UBA …the sum of N45 million credited to Abdulsalam.
The defendant has been standing trial since Thursday, March 19, 2020 on a two-count charge bordering on retaining stolen property and stealing to the tune of N45million, property of Flour Mills of Nigeria, allegations he has denied.
One of the charges reads: “That you Abdulsalam Ibrahim on the 28th June, 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with a dishonest intent converted to your own use the sum of N45,000, 000.00 (Forty Five Million Naira) property of Flour Mills of Nigeria.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by EFCC.
According to the charge, the defendant was slammed with conspiracy to commit felony to wit: stealing contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The particulars of offence reads that Abdulsalam Ibrahim and one Akeem, A.K.A. Omo Alaja (at large) sometimes in 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire and stole the sum of N752,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Two Million Naira) property of Flour Mills of Nigeria.
Also, he was charged with stealing contrary to Section 287 of th Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015
The particulars of offence states that Abdulsalam Ibrahim and one Akeem A.K.A Omo Alaja (at large) sometimes in 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did steal the sum of N752,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Two Million Naira) property of Flour Mills of Nigeria.
The offence is contrary to Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The particulars of offence states that Abdulsalam Ibrahim sometimes in June, 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with a dishonest intent converted to your own use the sum of N45,000,000.00 (Forty Five Million Naira) property of Flour Mills of Nigeria
The defendant was said to have retained stolen property contrary to Section 328 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The charge further states that Abdulsalam Ibrahim on or about the 28th June, 2019 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with a dishonest intent knowingly retained stolen property in your GTB account number 0014573441 to wit: N45,000,000.00 (Forty Five Million Naira) property of Flour Mills of Nigeria.
The judge adjourned until August 17 for cross examination of the witness.
