A driver, Mayowa Adenuga, 25, has been arrested by Lagos State Police Command for allegedly stealing his boss’ Automated Teller Machine card and withdrawing over N2.7m. Arrested with him are his accomplices in crime Adewale Opeyemi, 18, and Jeremiah Iyitoye, 29.
It was gathered Adenuga, a computer expert, was employed as a driver by a lecturer at UNILAG, Prof. Simbo Banjoko.
The suspect drove Banjoko to the Bells University on the day of the incident where he stole Banjoko’s Zenith Bank ATM card in the car.
After allegedly stealing Banjoko's ATM card, Adenuga used software to uncover the card’s PIN code. He also block his boss phone so it will not receive alert.
Adenuga allegedly withdrew N200,000 from the bank account through the ATM, he allegedly bought four iPhones, valued at N495,000; one Macbook laptop, valued at N415,000; 10 wristwatches, a Blackberry and a ring. A total of N2,728,255 was withdrawn from the victim’s bank account.
The theft of the ATM card was said to have been referred to the Rapid Response Squad, which later transferred the case to the Anti-Vice Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.
According to Punch reports,a police source explained that Banjoko, who noticed that his telephone line had been blocked, took it to a telecoms centre, where it was reactivated.
“At that point, he received 30 alerts that a total of N2,728,255 had been withdrawn from his account. He reported the matter to the police, and the case was transferred to the RRS.
“When the matter got to the Anti-Vice Section of the SCIID, the police arrested the driver and after interrogation, he confessed to the crime and named his accomplices.
“The police recovered two iPhones 6S Plus, two iPhones SSE, one Macbook laptop, seven GT Shock wristwatches, one Blackberry Z10, one ring and two bags,” the source added.
The suspects were arraigned at the Yaba Magistrate’s Court on two counts of stealing.
The charge read in part, “That you, Mayowa Adenuga, Adewale Opeyemi and Jeremiah Iyitoye, on July 2, 2016, on Olanireti Fesan Street, Magodo, Isheri, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal the sum of N2,728,255 only, property of one Professor Simbo Banjoko.”
The police said the offence was punishable under sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Erinle, admitted them to bail in the sum of N800,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She added that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the defendants, who must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case was adjourned till October 17, 2016.
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