An apprentice mechanic, Ibrahim Adebowale, has been arrested and charged to court by the Lagos state police for allegedly withdrawing N156,000 from his boss’ bank account.
The 24-year-old apprentice, learning in the Mushin area of the state was said to have used the money to bet on football matches through the popular sport betting outlet, NaijaBet.
According to his boss, Akinyemi Benjamin, he had given him (Adebowale) his Automated Teller Machine, ATM, card to help him withdraw N20,000, but Adebowale, withdrew N156,000 and ran away with it.
Benjamin therefore reported the case at the Olosan Police Division which swung into action and subsequently arrested Adebowale.
Benjamin saidsaid, “I gave him my ATM card to go to a nearby bank and help me withdraw N20,000. Some minutes after he left, I received alerts on my phone, showing that he had collected N20,000 many times.
“I left what I was doing and rushed to the bank. By the time I got there, I had received alerts indicating that he had withdrawn N156,000. I went to check him at his parents’ house but his mother said she did not know his whereabouts. I then reported the case to the police.”
Adebowale, in his statement to the police admitted to the crime and that he used the money for betting.
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At his arraignment before an Ogba magistrates’ court, he was slammed with two counts of stealing.
The charges read, “That you, Ibrahim Adebowale, on April 13, 2019 at about 7.20pm, on Oyekunle Street, Mushin, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conduct yourself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by taking your boss’ UBA ATM card, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section168 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.
“That you, Ibrahim Adebowale, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal the sum of one N156,000 property of one Akinyemi Benjamin, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
Adebowale, however, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.
The Magistrate, Mr. K. O. Osundare, admitted him to bail in the sum of N80,000 with one surety in the like sum and adjourned the matter till May 6, 2019.
