Teenage apprentice arraigned for allegedly stealing N958,000 from master

Prince Okemgbo, a teenage apprentice who reportedly stole his master’s N958,000, was arraigned at the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Tuesday.

Okemgbo, 15, of Igando, Lagos, was accused of theft by the police.

DSP Kehinde Ajayi, the Prosecution Counsel, told the court that the defendant committed the crime on November 21 at Cele Close, Odo Osan, Egan Igando, Lagos.

She said that the defendant, an apprentice under one Mr Hycent Uche – the complainant – had abruptly fled the premises with the money.

“He broke the safe in the shop and made away with the sum of N958,000 being sales made for the week that his master was supposed to take to the bank the next day.

“He ran away to the village without allowing anyone to know of his movement,” Ajayi said.

She maintained that the offense violated Section 287 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the accusation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 287 (7) of the Criminal Code provides seven years imprisonment for servants stealing from their masters.

Magistrate Mrs. E. Kubeinje granted the defendant N100,000 bail with two responsible sureties in the same amount.

One of the sureties, according to Kubeinje, must be a blood relative.