Admin l Wednesday, May 17, 2017
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A former Chief Account with Vanguard Newspapers, Basmus Yisa has been sentenced to 14 years for stealing N3.1 million.
He was charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on 8 count chage of stealing the company’s money, worth N3.1million alongside one Samuel Ogbole, Vanguard Circulation Officer in Owerri.
The trial Judge resolved the issues of conspiracy to steal and offence of stealing in favour of the prosecution, while she held that the prosecution failed to prove the case of conspiracy to forge bank documents and forgery pressed against him and his alleged accomplice, Ogbole beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the court, there was no evidence to link Bhadmus to the crime of forgery committed by Ogbole, the Owerri circulation officer, who was said to have forged bank tellers, claiming to use same in payment of proceeds from newspapers sold to the company’s bank account.
In her judgment, Justice Ipaye held that the defendant (Bhadmus and Ogbole, at large) stole the proceeds of sales of Vanguard newspapers in Owerri from 2006-2008 through forged tellers numbering about 68, which were not remitted into the company’s bank account.
Though, the non lodgement according to the company was put at about N10.2million, the prosecution was only able to lay his hand on documents relating to non deposit of about N3.1million.
Justice Ipaye who chided the convict, noted that there was no where the facts laid before the court were challenged by the defendant, only that he raised issue that the money lodged in his account by Ogbole was the proceeds of the fish from his fish farm he (Ogbole) helped him to sell in Owerri.
