The suspect was said to be running a business venture on behalf of the boss, Onyeka Nkem, at Imo Plaza, Balogun Market, Trade Fair on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Lagos.
Cosmetics, perfume, among other items, were traded in the shop in large quantities.
Nkem stocked the shop with cartons of perfume valued at N43.4m, and cartons of Shampoo valued at N60m, sometime in 2013.
It was, however, alleged that Uche tampered with the venture’s account books and invoice, and failed to remit N53m to the owner’s account.
After fruitless efforts to retrieve the “missing” sum from the salesman, Nkem petitioned the Federal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Ikoyi, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
He was subsequently charged with stealing and obtaining money under false pretences by the Inspector-General of Police in a case with charge number D/17A/2017.
A police prosecutor, Inspector Ingobo Emby, on Friday brought Uche before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on four counts bordering on the offences.
Emby told the court, presided over by Chief Magistrate S.A. Sonuga, that the offences contravened sections 390, 421, 438 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The charges read in part, “That you, Onwuma Uche, sometime in 2013, at Shop A14, Imo Plaza, Balogun Market, Trade Fair, along Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did obtain cartons of perfume valued at N43.397m and 1,047 cartons of Shampoo worth over N60m under the pretext that you will sell and return the proceeds to the owner, which you failed to do.
“That you, during the same time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did cheat your boss, Onyeka Nkem, by not remitting the proceeds of goods sold by you, worth N53m.
“That you did fraudulently omit the invoice and other account books of your boss, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 438 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.”
However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and elected summary trial.
The magistrate, Sonuga, granted him bail in the sum of N10m with two sureties each in like sum, adding that one of the sureties must be the defendant’s blood relation.
The case was adjourned till April 27.
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