By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
A Point Of Sale (POS) operator Abdulrafiu Agboola Issa, was on Wednesday arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ikoyi Correctional Center Lagos, on charges bordering on alleged conspiracy and stealing of N326, 915, 919. 32 million.
According to the police in a charge numbered Z/15/2023, Abdulrafiu committed the alleged offences in March, this year in Lagos
The Police through its prosecutor, S. O. Ayodele, told the court that the POS operator committed the alleged offences alongside with Desmond Kasarachi and others who are now at large.
He told the Court that the defendant received the money which was fraudulently transferred to his bank accounts, from a financial institution known as E-Settlement Limited.
During interrogation, the POS Operator told the police that he thought the money was sent to him by one of his relatives in diaspora, who had promised to help him. but he did not care to know which of them that sent the money.
The Police said that at the time of the defendant’s arrest, he had squandered huge amount up to N14 million.
According to the charge, the offences allegedly committed by the defendant, contravened Sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and punishable under the same Sections of the Law.
However, the POS Operator denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the two count-charge preferred against him by the police.
He pleaded with the court to admit him to bail in most liberal terms.
Meanwhile, the presiding Magistrate, Mr. Mcdavies Amore admitted the defendant to bail in various terms and conditions and adjourned the matter to October 10 for trial.
Charges against the POS Operator reads:
“That you Abdulrafiu Agboola Issa ‘M’ Desmond Kasarachi ‘M’ and others now at large, sometimes in the month of March 2023, in Lagos within the Lagos, Magisterial district, did conspired amongst yourself to commit felony to wit stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015
“That you Abdulrafiu Agboola Issa ‘M’ Desmond Kasarachi, ‘M’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place and in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did steal the sum of Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Nine Hundred and fifteen Thousand Nine Hundred and Nineteen Naira, Thirty Two Kobo (N326,915,919,32k) which was fraudulently transferred to your bank accounts, from a financial institution known as E-SETTLEMENT LTD and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.”
