The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a driver, identified as Mayowa
Adenuga, for allegedly stealing his boss’s Automated Teller Machine, ATM, card,
and withdrawing over N2.7m.
The card belonged to his employer, a lecturer at the University of Lagos,
UNILAG, Prof. Simbo Banjoko.
Two other suspects, 18-year-old Adewale Opeyemi
and and 29-year-old Jeremiah Iyitoye were arrested alongside Adenuga as
accomplices.
According to Punch, the 25-year-old Adenuga, who is also a computer expert,
drove his boss to the Bells University on the day of the incident.
It was gathered that while he waited for his boss on the university premises,
the driver found Banjoko’s Zenith Bank ATM card in the car and hid it.
Unknown to the victim that his ATM card was missing, Adenuga used software to
uncover the card’s PIN code.
According to the report, the suspect withdrew N200,000 from the bank account
through the ATM, and allegedly bought four iPhones, valued at N495,000; one
Macbook laptop, valued at N415,000; 10 wristwatches, a Blackberry and a
ring.
He made a total withdrawal of N2,728,255 from the victim’s bank account.
The lecturer later informed the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of the incident
and the case was later transferred to the Anti-Vice Section of the State
Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.
A source at the SCIID said that Adenuga, perfected the crime by blocking his
boss’s telephone line so that he would not see the alert of transactions
conducted on his account.
He said, “The suspect is the lecturer’s driver. He is also a computer expert.
He hid the ATM card for three days and when he saw that the man did not look for
it, he used software to get the PIN. He called Adewale (Opeyemi) and handed over
the card to him for safekeeping, saying it belonged to his sister.
“When he drove his boss out again at another time, he had access to the man’s
phone and deliberately entered the wrong PUK number three times which led to the
blockage of the line.”
After blocking his boss’s line, Adenuga allegedly asked his accomplices to
make transactions with the card on his behalf.
The two men were said to have gone to Shoprite, Ikeja, and Mega Plaza,
Victoria Island, where they withdrew N200,000 and purchased the iPhones, Macbook
laptop, wristwatches and other items through POS transactions.
A police source explained that Banjoko, who noticed that his telephone line
had been blocked, took it to a telecoms centre, where it was reactivated.
“At that point, he received 30 alerts that a total of N2,728,255 had been
withdrawn from his account. He reported the matter to the police, and the case
was transferred to the RRS.
“When the matter got to the Anti-Vice Section of the SCIID, the police
arrested the driver and after interrogation, he confessed to the crime and named
his accomplices.
“The police recovered two iPhones 6 Plus, two iPhone SSE, one Macbook laptop,
seven GT Shock wristwatches, one Blackberry Z10, one ring and two bags,” the
source added.
The three men were on Friday brought before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court on two
counts of stealing.
The charge read in part, “That you, Mayowa Adenuga, Adewale Opeyemi and
Jeremiah Iyitoye, on July 2, 2016, on Olanireti Fesan Street, Magodo, Isheri,
Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal the sum of N2,728,255 only,
property of one Professor Simbo Banjoko.”
According to the police, the offence was punishable under sections 409 and
285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011
The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Erinle, admitted them to bail in the sum of
N800,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She added that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the
defendants, who must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case was adjourned till October 17, 2016
