A 38-year-old tanker driver, Julius Eruse, has been brought before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing 45,000 litres of aviation fuel valued at N13m.
Julius, an indigene of Ugheli, Delta State, was arraigned on two counts bordering on conspiracy and stealing before a magistrate, Mrs. Y.O. Aje-Afunwa.
The police said Julius was hired by a firm, Cleanserve lntegrated Energy Solutions, to transport the fuel from Warri, Delta State, to Lagos.
He was said to have diverted the fuel on getting to Lagos and sold it.
The suspect reportedly told the police that he sold 2,800 litres of the fuel to one Mrs. Bridget for N756,000.
According to the prosecutor, Inspector Peter Julius, Eruse committed the offence on November 12, 2016, in the Apapa area of Lagos State.
The prosecutor said the offence was contrary to and punishable under sections 278,285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The charge read, “That you, Julius Eruse, and others still at large, on November 12, 2016, at about 2pm at the Apapa area of Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; stealing, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
“That you, on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned magisterial district, did steal 45,000 litres of aviation fuel valued at N13,000,000.00, property of Cleanserve Integrated Energy Solutions, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 278 and punishable under Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
When the charge was read to the accused, he pleaded not guilty.
The presiding magistrate, Aje-Afunwa, granted him bail in the sum of N1.5m with two responsible sureties each in the like sum.
She added that the sureties must present evidence of tax payments to Lagos State and own verifiable property in the state.
The matter was adjourned till October 17, 2017.
