Man Bags Five Years Jail Term for Stealing ₦17.5m in ABUAD Bookshop
An Ado Ekiti magistrates’ court has convicted a 40-year-old Adedeji Ogunleye to five years imprisonment for stealing the sum of N17.5 million from Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti bookshop.
The court ruled that the convict unlawfully converted the proceeds accrued from sales of books in the privately owned University to his personal account.
The convict was arraigned before Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola, on January 9, 2023, on two-count charge of stealing and fraud.
The police prosecutor, Insp Elijah Adejare, had said that the defendant, committed the offence, between the year 2019 to 2022 at ABUAD Bookshop, off km. 8.5, Afe Babalola way, in Ado-Ekiti
Adejare said the convict stole, and fraudulently obtained the sum of N17.5 million, being the money, accrued from sales of books at the bookshop, and converted it to his personal use, knowing fully well that it is the property of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD).
He said the offences, contravened Sections 302 and 329 (3) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.
One of the Auditors, who testified before the court said, Adedeji Ogunleye was employed in year 2019, towards the end of June 2022.
” We came on invitation to audit him, during the process, the team, discovered sharp practices in his transactions and records, in addition, the money in bank and books in stock did not commensurate.
” He was issued query, and later handed over to the police for further investigation and his eventual arraignment,” he concluded.
To prove his case, Insp. Adejare called four witnesses, and tendered Auditors statement, Auditors Report, Bookshop Receipt and ABUAD Bin Card, among others as exhibits.
He said the convict, who was granted bail at arraignment, jumped the bail, while all efforts made to proof his innocence before the court, proved abortive.
The magistrate held that ” this court is fortified with the decision, in the case of Maina Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria (2022) LPELR-58942 (CA), to deliver this judgment, in the absence of the
“I find the defendant guilty, and i convict him accordingly.
” The convict is hereby sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour, or an option of restitution, in the sum of N17.5 million, in favour of ABUAD Bookshop, being the amount this court found to have been stolen by the defendant, in lieu of imprisonment.
“All security agencies are hereby put on alert to apprehend the fugitive wherever, and whenever sighted, to serve his term of imprisonment”.
Source: Global hotline news
