MICHAEL AKINOLA
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 30-year old woman, Susan Precious Folarin, who was employed as a money collector, for allegedly stealing the sum of N13,710,200 belonging to customers in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect was employed by De People’s Ajo Choice Limited, with its office located at Semiu Tiamiyu Street, Hilltop Estate, Aboru, Lagos.
She was engaged by the company to collect daily contributions from customers. However, between January 2025 and January 2026, she allegedly collected money from customers and diverted it for personal use.
The alleged fraud was uncovered after the company conducted an internal audit and discovered the missing funds.
The matter was reported to the Police at Oke-Odo Division. She was then arrested and detained for interrogation over the missing money.
After thorough interrogation, the Police found her culpable and charged her before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charge read:
“That you, Susan Precious Folarin ‘f’, between January 2025 and January 2026, at De People’s Ajo Choice Limited, located at No. 9 Semiu Tiamiyu Street, Hilltop Estate, Aboru, Lagos, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, while being an employee of the said company, did steal the sum of Thirteen Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand, Two Hundred Naira only (N13,710,200.00) belonging to your employer, being daily contributions collected from customers, by dishonestly converting same to your own use, including diverting part of the funds into your personal bank account and failing to remit same to the company, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 280(1)(a) and (b) and punishable under Section 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, she pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Philip Ademigbuji, asked the Court to fix a date for hearing to enable the Police to prove that she committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. O. Kusanu, granted her bail in the sum of N13,710,200 with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment, with addresses to be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention, while the defendant was remanded at the Correctional Centre, Kirikiri, pending the perfection of her bail conditions.
