A 40-year-old man, identified as Morgan Mohammed, on Friday denied before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, that he posed as a Customs officer and stole N500,000.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Friday Inedu, told the court that the defendant committed the offences between March and October 2018 at No 2, Mobile Estate, Satellite Town, Lagos.
“The defendant stole one HP laptop valued at N30,000, one Elepaq Generator valued at N47,000, one Tecno phone valued at N36,000, ATM of Access Bank and a set of Kewood sound system whose value is yet unknown. Total item stolen is N113,000 property of one Raji Thelma,” Inedu said.
The prosecutor also said that the defendant at about 9am at Agip Estate, Satellite Town in Lagos fraudulently obtained a cash sum of N30,000 from one Ogechi Ezeaka and N70,000 from one Ibewuike Emeka with a view of getting them a Customs form and helping them to be employed into the Nigeria Customs Service, a representation he knows to be false.
Inedu added that the defendant collected another cash sum of N150,000 from same Ogechi Ezeaka to supply her 30 bags of rice, a cash sum of N120,000 from one Nweke Vivian to supply her 30 bags of rice, a cash sum of N70,000 from one Raji Thelma to supply her bags of rice and a cash sum of N7,000 from one Musa Dauda with a view of getting him a security job. Total amount collected from them N454,000.
The prosecutor said that the defendant impersonated as Customs officer by wearing the Nigeria Customs Service uniform of rank of Deputy Superintendent of Customs.
According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 287, 341 and 78 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Magistrate Temitope Babalola granted the defendant bail in the sum of N250,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.
The sureties, according to the Magistrate must furnish the court with proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
He adjourned the case till December 10, 2018 for mention.
It would be recalled that the defendant had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.
Mohammed is facing a three-count charge of false pretense, stealing and impersonation.
