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Court remands driver, friend over alleged theft of milk

Court remands driver, friend over alleged theft of milk
Court remands driver, friend over alleged theft of milk
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A Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Wednesday remanded a truck driver, Adetayo Adelaja, 49, and his friend, Ishola Akinbobola, 57, in prison for allegedly stealing a container-load of Dano milk worth N25.5 million.

The accused, whose addresses were not provided, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Ben Ekundayo, told the court that the accused persons committed the offences on August 11 in Apapa area of Lagos.

Ekundayo said the milk belonged to General Advance Service Limited, Lagos.

He added that the truck driver was hired by the company to transport the milk from Apapa to its warehouse at Costain in Iponri area of Lagos.

Ekundayo alleged that when Adelaja got to the warehouse, the warehouse workers could not offload the contents of the container because it was late, adding that the accused was told to come back in the morning for his truck.

He said that instead, Adelaja allegedly called his friend, Akinbobola, to meet him at the warehouse at midnight with a buyer.

The prosecutor said: “The accused persons offloaded the content of the container into another truck before morning and took it to an unknown destination.

“When the workers got to the warehouse they met an empty container.”

Ekundayo said that during investigation, the products were traced to the market and Adelaja named as the one who sold the product to the distributor, which led to the arrest of the accused persons.

He said the offences contravened sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

He said the law prescribes three and two years imprisonment for the first and second offence respectively for offenders.

The Magistrate, A.M Olumide-Fusika, adjourned the case till October 23 for hearing.

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