Twin brothers, six others arraigned for alleged diversion of N31.7m cashew nuts

Policemen yesterday arraigned twin brothers, Taiwo and Kehinde Akintade, and six others before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate Court, Lagos, for alleged diversion of cashew nuts valued at N31,788,000.
 
The six other persons arraigned alongside the twins are Jelili Elo, Adeshina Sikiru, Sadiq Morufu, Femi Adegboyega, Dada Ishola and Mohammed Yunusa. The defendants were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Folashade Botoku on two counts charge bordering on conspiracy and unlawful diversion of the said amount belonging to one Jamiu Oke.
 
During the arraignment of the defendants, the prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on March 20, 2018, at Isolo area of Lagos, where they were working for the complainant, Jamiu Oke.
 
He told the court that upon discovery of the missing fund, the complainant wrote a petition to the Commissioner In-Charge of FCIID, Mr. Hamed Mogaji, who ordered investigation into the petition, and that at the end of the investigation, all the defendants were found culpable of the alleged offences.

Animashaun told the court that the offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 411 and 287(5) of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015. All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
 
Following their plea of not guilty, their counsel, Mr. M. A. Popoola, urged the court to admit them to bail in the most liberal terms, adding that his clients have responsible sureties, and that they will not jump bail, if granted.
 
However, the chief magistrate admitted them to bail in the sum of N2 million with two responsible sureties each.The chief magistrate adjourned the matter till September 4 for trial, and ordered that all the defendants be remanded in prison custody pending fulfillment of their bail terms.