Businessman docked over attempt to steal substandard goods from warehouse sealed by SON

A businessman,  Ogbo Chidozie Tochukwu,  has been dragged before a Federal High Court, Lagos for allegedly attempting to break into a warehouse to steal substandard goods seized by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

Tochukwu was last Tuesday  arraigned alongside his company, Majestics Tiles Limited before Justice R. M. Aikawa on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful entry and attempted stealing.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each granted bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

The judge directed that one of the sureties must be a public servant in either the Lagos State Government or the Federal Government of not below grade level 13 to be verified by the deputy chief registrar of the court.

The other surety, the judge ordered must be  a resident of Lagos State with the document of the landed property handed over to the court and with reliable and identifiable means of livelihood.

The judge also directed that Tochukwu should be remanded in prison until his bail conditions are met and thereafter to report to the SON’s office every last Friday of the month, until the determination of the case.

In the charge,  the prosecutor, Mrs Amaka Allen-Ngbale,  alleged that Tochukwu conspired to commit the offences with Ochuehi Ikechukwu, Monday Adumekwe and George Anderson (now at large) on Jan. 30, 2018.

She said the defendants broke into the
Majestic Tiles Limited warehouse at No. 125 Agege Motor Road Idiro, Mushin, Lagos and attempted to steal 115 cartons of soldering iron, 04 cartons of CCTV camera and some quantities of 35g of lead by loading the said products suspected to be sub-standard seized by SON for non-compliance with the mandatory industrial standard before importation.

According to her, their offences contravene sections  383(2)(b) , 410 and 508 of the Criminal Code Act C39 LFN 2004 .

A part of the charge read:” That you, Majestics Tiles Limited, Ogbo Chidozie Tochukwu, Ochuehi Ikechukwu, Monday Adumekwe and George Anderson of Majestic Tiles Limited of 125 Agege Motor Road Idiro, Mushin Lagos on or about 30 January 2018 around 09:00hours at the warehouse named Magestic Tiles Limited located at Ago Palace Way, Okota Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did break into the said warehouse with intent to commit a felony and opened by unlocking the rear door of the said warehouse so as not to damage the seal placed by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria at the inside-front door of the said warehouse containing the said 115 cartons of soldering iron, 04 cartons of CCTV camera and some quantities of 35g of lead, suspected to be sub-standard seized by Standards Organization of Nigeria for non-compliance with the mandatory industrial standard before importation with intent to commit a felony therein and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 410 of the Criminal Code Act C39 LFN 2004 and punishable under section 413 of the Criminal Code Act CAP  C39 LFN 2004.

“That you, Majestics Tiles Limited, Ogbo Chidozie Tochukwu, Ochuehi Ikechukwu, Monday Adumekwe and George Anderson of Majestic Tiles Limited of 125 Agege Motor Road Idiro, Mushin Lagos on or about 30 January 2018 around 09:00hours at the warehouse named Magestic Tiles Limited located at Ago Palace Way, Okota Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did successfully break into the said warehouse with intent to commit a felony and  attempted to steal i.e. 115 cartons of soldering iron, 04 cartons of CCTV camera and some quantities of 35g of lead by loading the said products suspected to be sub-standard seized by Standards Organisation of Nigeria for non-compliance with the mandatory industrial standard before importation into your vehicle with Registration No: FST 459 XP for onward delivery to your Head Office at No 5 Ramor Estate Akota and Plot 15 Christ Embassy Close, Ago Palace Road, Okota Lagos and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 508 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C39 LFN 2004 punishable under section 509 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C39 LFN 2004.

“That you, Majestics Tiles Limited, Ogbo Chidozie Tochukwu, Ochuehi Ikechukwu, Monday Adumekwe and George Anderson of Majestic Tiles Limited of 125 Agege Motor Road Idiro, Mushin Lagos on or about 30 January 2018 around 09:00hours at the warehouse named Magestic Tiles Limited located at Ago Palace Way, Okota Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did successfully break into the said warehouse with intent to commit a felony and attempted to take and convert i.e. 115 cartons of soldering iron, 04 cartons of CCTV camera and some quantities of 35g of lead by loading the said products suspected to be sub-standard seized by Standards Organization of Nigeria for non-compliance with the mandatory industrial standard before importation into your vehicle with Registration No: FST 459 XP for onward delivery to your Office at Plot 15 Christ Embassy Close, Ago Palace Road, Okota Lagos with intent to permanently deprive the Standards Organization of Nigeria from allowing the said sub-standard products from being circulated for consumption to the general public in Nigeria and thereby committed an offence section 383(2)(b) and section 508 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C39 LFN punishable under section 509 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C39 LFN.”

The case was adjourned until Dec. 10,2018 for trial