3 salesmen in court over alleged theft of 720 cartons of tomato paste

Three salesmen on Monday appeared before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court for allegedly conspiring to steal 720 cartons of Gino tomato paste valued at N16.2 million.

The defendants, Chinedu Oluwa, 22, Emenike Orji, 25, and Patrick Agore, 29, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which the trio pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, ASP Ben Ekundayo told the court that the defendants committed the offenses between June 2020 and January, 2021 at Aswani Market, Lagos.

He said that the defendants, who are sales representatives stole 720 cartons of Gino tomato paste belonging to their employer, GB Foods.

He added that the three defendants siphoned some cartons of tomato paste everytime the goods were supplied and stole a total of 720 cartons all valued at N16.2million.

Ekundayo said that the offenses contravened Sections 287 (7) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Magistrate, Mr A.A. Paul granted the three defendants N1million bail with one surety each in like sum.

He adjourned the case until March 24 for mention.