Man Remanded in Prison for Stealing Rice in Abeokuta

39-year-old man, Michael Sunday, has been remanded in prison for allegedly selling his employer’s 52 bags of rice worth N1.6 million.

The accused was said to have refused to remit the proceeds after selling the rice.

Sunday, facing a one-count charge of stealing, was remanded by a magistrates’ court in Abeokuta on Friday, July 14.

According to the prosecutor, ASP Olakunle Shonibare, the defendant committed the offence on June 19 in the Kuto area of Abeokuta.

He alleged that the defendant failed to remit the money from the rice he sold, which belonged to Kunle Adetunji, his employer.

The police officer added that the complainant had sent the defendant to deliver 52 bags of rice to a customer at Ijebu Igbo.

He said Mr Sunday, instead, diverted the sale of the rice to another person and converted the money to his personal use.

He said:

“When the complainant got to know that the defendant had stolen his rice and money, he reported him at the police station.

“Upon investigation, the police arrested and searched him, and they recovered N620,000 from him, remaining N992,000 as the balance of the proceeds from the sold rice.”

He added that the offence contravened sections 419 and 390(9) of Ogun’s Criminal Code and Laws 2006.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The magistrate, O.O. Odumosu, ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ibara Correctional Centre until August 8 for judgement.