A 23-year-old point of service (POS) agent, Musa Bolarinwa, who allegedly stole 400,000 naira from his employer the same day he was hired and fled Lagos, has been arrested in Kwara state.
He was arrested by detectives from the Adeniji Adele Division and taken back to Lagos on theft charges.
According to the police, the incident happened on August 11, 2021, at Balogun Market, Lagos Island, when the complainant, Bashiru Fereirer, a POS operator hired the suspect and sent him on an errand to collect N400,000 from a customer for a POS transaction.
Police alleged that after the suspect collected the client’s money, he switched his phone off and ran away to Kwara state to spend the money rather than take the money to his employer.
After waiting for two days without seeing the suspect, the plaintiff reported the incident to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Adeniji Adele Division on Lagos Island, who sent his team, led by Inspector Abigail Adebo to extract the suspect wherever they could find him.
The police detectives traced the suspect to Kwara State, arrested him and took him back to Lagos, and charged him at the Tinubu Magistrate Court, Lagos on a one-count charge of stealing.
Police Counsel, Ajaga Agboko told the court in the charge marked TD/09/2021 that the defendant committed the offence on the day he was employed.
Agboko told the court that the complainant trusted the defendant and sent him to a customer to receive N400,000 for POS transactions, but that the defendant betrayed the trust he had in him and fled with the money before he was arrested in Kwara State.
He said the offence committed was punishable under sections 287 of the Criminal law of Lagos State, 2015
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and Magistrate T.A Idowu granted him N100, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Idowu adjourned the case till 23 October 2021 for mention.
He ordered that the defendant be held at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre till he fulfils the bail conditions.
