A cleaner, Sodiq Oyetunde, who was found in possession of 15 leaves of signed banks’ cheques, was on Monday charged before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. Oyetunde, 35, who resides at Bajulaye Street, Idumota Lagos, is facing a three-count charge of unlawful possession of banks’ cheques, unlawful transfer of money and stealing.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecutor, Insp. Philip Osijaile, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 6 at about 2:12p.m. at Diamond Bank, Idumota Branch. Osijaile said that the accused was found in possession of signed seven cheque leaves of Diamond Bank and four cheque leaves of Zenith Bank.
According to Osijaile , the accused was also in possession of two cheque leaves of UBA and one cheque leaf each of First City Monument Bank and First Bank. He added that the accused used two of the signed Diamond Bank cheques to transfer N300,000 to his personal account.
“The complaint (name withheld) received debit alert of N300,000 which was withdrawn from his Diamond Bank account by an unknown person.
“He quickly informed his bank and the accused was arrested at the bank counter, claiming that he saw the signed cheques on the ground at Idumota,” he said. Osijaile said that the offences contravened Sections 285, 327 and 330 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011. The Magistrate, Mrs Memunat Folami, granted the accused N300,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Folami said that the accused must provide two responsible sureties who are his blood relations and one of the sureties must be a religious leader. The case was adjourned till June 20 for mention.
