Police arraign sales rep for stealing furniture worth N55m 

By Sodiq Adelakun

The operatives of Lagos State Police Command have arraigned a sales representative, Dennis Oputu, before the Yaba Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing furniture valued at N55 million.

It was gathered that Oputu was employed by the owner of Joja Ventures, Janefrances Azolo, as a sales representative in 2019.

The defendant was alleged to have been stealing and selling pieces of furniture without remitting the money to his employer.

The 38-year-old was arraigned before Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun on two counts of stealing.

The charges read in part, “That you, Dennis Oputu, and others now still at large, sometime between 2019 and 2022 in Lagos, within the Lagos Magisterial District, when you were employed as a sales representative with Joja Ventures owned by one Janefrances Azolo, did conspire to commit felony, to wit: stealing, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 411 and punishable under Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.”

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was not represented by any counsel.

The magistrate, Olatunbosun adjourned the case till February 27, 2023, for trial.