Police Arraign Sales Girls Over Alleged N24.5m Theft

The police on Wednesday arraigned three sales girls, Olamide Efuntade, Nofisat Hammed, and Aliyat Adio before a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yaba for allegedly conspiring to steal N24.5 million from their employer.

A lawyer from the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID), Morufu Animashaun, informed the court that the alleged offences occurred between 2024 and March 9, 2025, at 27 Nollah Street, Abaranje Road, Ikotun State.

The lawyer claimed that the stolen funds belonged to Mrs Adenike Adelanwa, who employed the three defendants as sales representatives.

Animashaun told the court that Efuntade allegedly stole N13 million, while he accused Hammed and Adio of stealing N10 million and N1.5 million, respectively.

The prosecutor stated that the defendants used their accounts to receive customer payments and then diverted the funds to their own use to carry out the alleged thefts.

He maintained that their actions contravened Sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law, Cap C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, and development that made Animashaun urged the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services pending the determination of the case.

In response, the defence lawyers applied for bail, arguing that the offences are bailable and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Magistrate Ejiro Kubenje granted each defendant bail of N2 million, with two responsible sureties for each.

The Magistrate also ordered that the sureties be gainfully employed and that the prosecutor verify their addresses. The case has been adjourned to May 12, 2025, for a mention.