SECURITY ALERT WITH JIDE

Landlord docked for stealing tenant’s money.

A 50-year-old landlord, who allegedly stole N250,000 from his tenant, had been docked in Lagos.

The accused, Lawal Kayode, appeared before Patrick Adekomaya of the Yaba Magistrates Court on Wednesday on a three-count charge of unlawfully breaking into a house and stealing.

According to the Prosecutor, Sgt. Ajayi Emmanuel, the accused on Jan. 7, at No 3 Okeowo Str., Ifako, Lagos, unlawfully broke into Randy Eddy’s house to steal.

He said the accused entered the house and stole the sum of N250,000 belonging Eddy, who is his tenant.

Emmanuel said the accused offence contravened Section 390, 411 and 412 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Adekomaya granted him bail in the sum N20,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He adjourned the case till Jan. 9 for further hearing.

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Woman arraigned for pouring hot water on co-tenant.

For allegedly pouring hot water on another woman and causing her first degree burns, Nneka Ezenweani, 27, was on Thursday taken before an Ikeja Magistrates Court.

Ezenweani, who is facing a count charge of assault before Magistrate A. Komolafe, was said to have poured hot water on one Comfort Odey, her co-tenant.

The prosecutor, Insp. Eranus Nnamonu, told the court that the accused had earlier had an argument with Odey over an undisclosed issue.

He said the offence, committed at 5/7 Dotun Ogundipe Ave., Onigbongbo, Lagos, was punishable under Section 338 (1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the case till Feb. 7 for further hearing.

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Company director arraigned for fraud.

A company director, Joseph Adebayo, was on Thursday arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding another company of N946,720.

Adebayo, 51, who claimed to be a director with Royal International Agency, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and stealing before Magistrate C. J. Momodu.

The Prosecutor, Insp. Augustine Orji, told the court that Adebayo and another at large, conspired to fraudulently obtain the said amount from one Franklin Echehe, a director with Delivery Network Ltd.

Orji alleged that the accused obtained the amount by presenting orders for the clearing and delivery of containers said to belong to Dizengoff W. A. Nig. Ltd.

He said Adebayo requested that Delivery Network provided funds to finance the contract and that the profit would be shared equally between their firms.

Orji alleged that Echehe parted with the amount but as soon as the job was completed, Adebayo and his accomplice connived and secured the payment in their company’s name.

According to him, the accused stole the said N946,720 belonging to Delivery Network Ltd, as he refused to refund the money or share the profit.

The prosecutor said Adebayo committed offences punishable under Sections 390, 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State.

He said the offences were committed sometime in March 2009 at Delivery Network Ltd, Osolo Way, Ajao Estate, Lagos.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

Momodu granted the accuse bail in the sum of N800,000 with two sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till Jan. 21 for further hearing.

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17 Sacked Managers Slam N200m Suit On Intercontinental Bank.

Seventeen sacked managers of embattled Intercontinental Bank Plc, alleging that their terminal benefits were withheld by the bank since the June 12, 2009 rationalisation exercise, have now asked a Lagos High Court to look into the matter.

In a 35-paragraph statement of claims, filed by lawyers from the law firm of Festus Keyamo, it was averred that the claimants are members of the Trade Union Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Other Financial Institution, ASSBIFI.

It was further averred that part of the agreement ASSBIFI has with the bank is the Redundancy Benefit, which is granted to an employee after termination of his employment.

This amounts to N200 million for the 17 managers.

The claimants further averred that they had worked over 10 years in the service of the bank and as such, they are entitled to various sums ranging from N11 million to N14 million on the basis of 14 weeks total emolument for each completed year of service.

It was averred that the bank has refused to pay the money, despite repeated demands.

They also averred that while in the service of the bank, they made monthly contributions towards their pension through Pension Funds Administration, PFA, Legacy Pension and National Housing Fund, NHF.

They claimed that since the termination of their appointment, the bank has failed to inform the NHF or PFA of their termination and has refused to pay their gratuity, despite repeated demands.

Consequently, the claimants are seeking a court order compelling the bank to pay their redundancy benefit to write to NHF and PFA, informing them of their disengagement and an order compelling the bank to dispose of shares purchased using the share loans of 2004 and 2006 in accordance with Article 3.3, paragraph (a) (b) of the Intercontinental Bank Plc staff hand book.

Meanwhile, Justice Femi Adeniyi has fixed pre-trial conference in the matter for February 14, 2011.

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Fire Razes Makeshift Shanties.

There was confusion at the Oto makeshift settlement close to Ijora Olopa area of Oyingbo, Lagos, South West Nigeria, where residents tried to salvage their properties as fire razed down about 10 makeshift shanties and destroyed properties worth thousands of naira.

Those affected could not salvage anything from the shanties as the swampy terrain prevented rescuers from coming near the area.

The cause of the fire could not be ascertained, but some of the residents said the fire started from a kitchen where a female neighbour was cooking.

She was said to have put a pot of oil on fire and went to buy something across the swampy terrain and before she returned, the pot had dried and exploded with the stove and fire broke out.

Efforts by residents to put out the fire proved abortive.

The residents also identified the generating sets being used by those affected as contributing to the explosion.

Some of the affected residents were seen counting their losses.

A victim who identified himself as Jude said, though I have lost everything to the fire, more painful is my secondary school certificate and testimonial and my children’s books and school uniforms. Where will I get the money to cloth and buy them books? he lamented.