Ex-military officer arraigned for theft of ‘smuggled car” 

A former military officer, Akinyemi Olorunshola, 38, has arraigned by the police at an Apapa Magistrate’s Court on Thursday for allegedly defrauding a serving military officer over a car said to have been smuggled into the country.

Olorunshola was accused by the police of having collected money from a fellow soldier to procure a Lexus Jeep from Cotonou but failed to deliver the vehicle as was agreed by both parties.

The charge sheet read in part, “That you, Akinyemi Olorunshola, ‘m’, between 14^th day of July, 2014 to 17^th of April, 2015 at Nigerian Army Finance Corp Headquarters in the Apapa Magisterial District did obtain the sum of One Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N1,150,000.00) from one Isaac Odeiga, M, with the pretence of selling a Lexus Jeep to him, a representation you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

“That you, Akinyemi Olorunshola , ‘m’, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District did steal the sum of One Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N1,150,000.00) property of one Isaac Odeiga, ‘m’, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285 of the Criminal Law, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”

The accused, Akinyemi Olorunshola affirmed that Sergeant Odeiga gave him the sum of One Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira to buy a Lexus Jeep from Cotonou.

He said, “I bought it but I did not deliver it to him because the car was seized by Customs in Oyo State because I did not pay Customs duty. This happened in August 2014.”

The evidence of receipt for the purchase of the car and the certificate of title were tendered before the Magistrate Court without any objection from the prosecutor, Barrister Okoi.

During cross examination, Counsel to the accused, Barrister Shobowale said that both the retired and serving military officer had been involved in smuggling.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.O Oshin adjourned the case till 28^th November, 2016.