2 bank officials get N10m-bail over alleged theft of employer’s N30m

Two bank officials, Tiaminu Lukeman ,48, and Shogaolu Sherif,30, who allegedly stole N30 million from their employer, were on Monday in Lagos, granted N5million bail each.

An Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, who gave the ruling, also granted the accused persons two sureties each in like sum as part of the bail conditions.

The magistrate, Mrs A. O. Sholadoye, said that one of the sureties must be a level-16 civil servant and both sureties must show evidence of tax payment.

The accused persons are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, forgery, fraud and stealing.

Lukeman resides in Block 8, Flat 1, LSDPC Estate, Ikotun, while Sherif lives in Block D, Flat 11, Alahaji Masha along Kilo Road, Surulere, both in Lagos State.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Jimoh Joseph, had told the court that the accused conspired with some others still at large to commit the offences between Aug. 1, 2013 and June 2016 at a bank branch in Lagos.

He said Lukeman who was the head of Human Resources, Compensation and Benefit, included some fictitious names and account numbers into the bank’s system to defraud it.

“ Lukeman, fraudulently, credited the account numbers knowing that they were not among the list of beneficiaries for compensation prepared by the bank,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 285, 323, 363 (1) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

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

The magistrate adjourned the case to Aug.10 for mention.