Court slams businesswoman with N3m bail over alleged breach of trust

An Ilorin Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Monday, slammed a N3 million bail on a businesswoman, Mujidat Olaniyi, who is facing an alleged breach of trust to the tune of N4.6 million.

Olaniyi, who was arraigned before the court on charges of alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and intimidation, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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The Chief Magistrate, Mr Jubril Salihu, granted the defendant bail, with two sureties in like sum, adding that the sureties must reside within jurisdiction of the court.

Salihu, thereafter, adjourned the case till Feb. 6 for further mention.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp. Adewumi Johnson, had told the court that on Jan. 11, one Kehinde Issa of Ayelare Compound, Ita-Amo junction, Ilorin, reported the case through a petition to the state commissioner of police.

Johnson said that on Jan. 5, 2019, the defendant bought 345 bags of rice from the complainant’s shop at Oja-tuntun, Ilorin, at the price of N14,000 per bag, with total value of N4,830,000, and promised to pay the money after selling the products.

He said that Issa later visited the defendant at her shop at Isale-Aro, Osogbo, Osun state, sometime in February 2019 and discovered that she had sold all the 345 bags of rice.

The prosecutor said that when the complainant demanded for her money, the defendant pleaded and promised to transfer the money into Issa’s bank account.

Johnson said that the defendant only sent N200,000 to the complainant’s account, leaving the balance of N4,630,000.
He said that when the complainant called the defendant on the phone and demanded for the balance of the money, she threatened to kill her.

The prosecutor said that during interrogation after her arrest, the defendant admitted to have collected the bags of rice and claimed to have sold same to one Mrs Thomas Oluwaseun of Ile-Ife, Osun state.

Johnson said that Olaniyi, however, said that she could not produce the said Oluwaseun who she sold the bags of rice to.

He said that the offence was contrary to Section 97, 312 and 396 of the Penal Code.