21-yr old man remanded over alledged N1.3m theft
By Damilola Kushimo
A 21-year old man identified as Taofik Oladimeji has been remanded by a magistrate court, sitting in Isolo, for allegedly stealing the sum of N1,390,000 from an 87 years old woman identified as Fibian Oderinde.
Taofik was first arraigned before Magistrate, Hon. E.O. Teluwo on Wednesday, June 13, 2018, after an eventual arrest by police operatives in respect to the claim of unsolicited financial transaction logged by the old woman.
However, during the court proceeding, having clearly read the charge out to Taofik who pleaded not guilty, the prosecutor, Inspector Oje Uagbale made it known that Taofik; whom the aged woman had taken as her son in order to run trivial errands for her, had long time ago detached the leaves of her passbook.
He had, however, made countless financial transactions on several occasions which has amounted to the sum of one million three hundred and ninety thousand before his arrest.
He made it known that the defendant was completely unaware of the transactions because Taofik had successfully stolen her phone on which she receives bank notifications. Moreover, the good intentions towards the poor Taofik wouldn’t make her (complainant) have any mistrust about him, given the fact that he is her friend’s son who had lost his mother at a tender age.
“Taofik’s mother and the defendant happened to be friends but the mother is late. In order to help the boy, she decided to assign to him trivial chores in her house; cleaning of the house and occasional laundry. Although, no fixed salary was agreed upon but, she do assist him financially and even promised to get him a car.” he explained
He continued, “Few days after getting into the house, the complainant’s phone got stolen, meanwhile, she has other people who run errands for her but, she has never sent Taofik to bank for any transaction as it is not part of his little works.”
He further told the court that because he was allowed free access to mama’s room, Taofik took mama’s passbook and detached the leaves inside and left the empty cover behind, unknown to mama.
Subsequently, according to the complainant who also doubled as one of the three witnesses, it was when she wanted to get him (Taofik) the car, as promised, that she got to know her account had been swindled.
She said, “It was when I wanted to get him the vehicle I promised him, because he hasn’t been coming around for days that I realized the balance in my account, I couldn’t believe it, and that was why I requested for my statement of account. It was revealed to me that the unsolicited transaction has been happening since May 2017 and the sum of N1,390,000 had been stolen from my account.”
However, considering the oral application of bail by the defense counsel, Barr. A.N. Boladale, the magistrate granted the defendant bail with the sum of N100,000 with two sureties one of which must be a blood relation, and that LASRRA certificates of both and address must be verified.
The case was adjourned till Friday, September 7, 2018 for cross-examination of trial and possible sentence if found guilty.
